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Class J l~ I J / 
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COPYRIGHT DEPOSm 



LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 
BY GRADES 



A HANDBOOK FOR TEACHERS 



BY 

J. M. HAMMOND 

PRINCIPAL OF MORSE SCHOOL 
PITTSBURGH, PA. 



BECKLEY-CARDY COMPANY 

CHICAGO 



Copyright, 1911, by J. M. Hammond 

Copyright, 1915, by Beckley-Cardy Co. 

all rights reserved 



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MS 23 1915 

©CU418168 



PREFACE 

In preparing this book for the use of teachers, the 
attempt has been made to follow well established peda- 
gogical principles. The material has been carefully 
graded, and more than enough has been presented or sug- 
gested to cover each year's requirements. Much of it has 
been tried successfully in the schoolroom, and is therefore 
offered with confidence that the results will prove most 
satisfactory. 

Certain departures from present usage have been taken, 
with the realization that modern tendencies are along those 
lines. One of these departures relates to the spelling of 
certain words beginning with to-. In accordance with the 
custom adopted by newspapers and many magazines, the 
hyphen in such words has been omitted. Another is con- 
cerned with changes in the arrangement and punctuation 
of headings and addresses. They have been made in the 
interest of economy in time and labor and should be wel- 
comed by every teacher. 

The necessity for the frequent review of language prin- 
ciples and practice is one reason for combining the eight- 
years' course in one volume. Under this arrangement, 
the teacher will have ready access to what is offered in 
the other grades, and therefore will not be compelled to 
search continually for supplementary work. 

As many teachers spend a disproportionately large 
amount of time in drilling on the mechanics of the art, for- 
getful of the fact that the chief aim in language instruction 
is readiness of worthy logical expression, it is earnestly 
hoped that this volume will afford helpful inspiration in 
that direction. 



CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PAGE 

I The First Grade 7 

II The Second Grade 39 

III The Third Grade 71 

IV The Fourth Grade . 109 

V The Fifth Grade ......... 145 

VI The Sixth Grade .......... 179 

VII The Seventh Grade 213 

VIII The Eighth Grade ......... 247 

IX Miscellaneous : 

Tests by Grades 289 

Poetical Selections, by Grades .... 299 

Index 305 



LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

BY GRADES 



CHAPTER I 
THE FIRST GRADE 

Outline of Work 

I. In the language instruction of the first grade pupil 
the following requisites should be provided: 

1. Natural surroundings, so that there may be free- 

dom from constraint of the kind which interferes 
with spontaneous expression 

2. Presentation of topics which will interest him from 

the start 

3. Descriptions of objects which he knows more or less 

thoroughly, and about which he is anxious to talk 

4. Lessons in courtesy 

5. Lessons in morals 

6. Study of pictures 

7. Picture cutting, with suitable story descriptions 

8. Reproduction of stories 

9. Dramatization 

10. Practice of correct language forms 

II. Punctuation and capitalization 

12. General aids to language development 

13. Conversations 

14. Written composition 

7 



8 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Written Composition 

2. "Written language as the expression of complete 
thought has no definite place in the first year of school 
work. Pupils may be required to supply a missing word 
in the body of a sentence, or even to finish a sentence 
already begun, but in neither of these cases is it necessary 
for them to state their own ideas in written form. Toward 
the close of the year, however, it may be possible for them 
to write sentences with suggested words as bases; but all 
such work must be of the most elementary character. 

Expression in the first grade, therefore, will be almost 
exclusively oral, and this is as it should be, for reasons 
which are apparent to every teacher. Since the child 
nature is simple and direct, the actions of the child 
exhibit the same qualities. He leams one thing at a time, 
and, as a matter of course, does one thing at a time. He 
even uses one word at a time, and consequently, in the 
process of his transformation from a word maker into a 
sentence builder, he is comparatively slow. He has 
acquired the faculty of talking with freedom before enter- 
ing school, but the ability to think and to transfer thought 
to paper, even after he has learned to write words, is an 
attainment difficult — even if desirable — of immediate reali- 
zation. The complexity involved in these two acts lias 
given rise to a situation which requires time for readjust- 
ment, and which may extend well into the second grade. 

Oral Composition 

3. Every sentence the pupil utters is either an oral 
composition or a part of one, and this is more especially 
true in both the reproduction of stories and the descrip- 
tion of objects. The prime requisite is that his sentences 



THE FIRST GRADE 9 

shall be formed freely and spontaneously, unhampered 
by interruptions on the part of the teacher except in so 
far as good judgment may dictate. The opportunity to 
suggest correct forms occurs many times during the day, 
particularly at the close of the recitation in which the 
mistakes are made. In general, it is better to allow a 
pupil to finish what lie has begun, in a comfortable if 
not logical way, than, by constant interference, to prevent 
him from following his course of thought to an orderly 
conclusion. 

The term "oral composition" as used here means some- 
thing more than the careless utterance of carelessly formed 
sentences. The child must be brought to feel that his 
teacher expects him to take greater pains in this kind of 
language work than he does in his ordinary conversation, 
although it is assumed that the latter is not to be slighted. 
As he puts on clean clothes of better quality than usual 
when he prepares to make a call, so it is just as desirable 
for him to dress his language in clean words of better 
quality than usual when he attempts oral composition; 
and the likelihood is that he will respond to what is 
required of him. Of a certainty, there must be much 
working of the ground and much rooting up of weeds 
before there will be marked evidences, of advance in the 
right direction, but in the midst of the working and the 
rooting this rule demands rigid enforcement: Do not 
interfere ivith freedom of expression. 

Practically, the place of oral composition in the first 
grade is not well determined. In a measure, it belongs to 
all the branches taught, although more particularly to 
those in which the pupils are required to make definite 
statements in language which is their own at least in part. 
Among these statements are discussions of subjects in 



10 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

which they are deeply interested and about which they 
not infrequently exhibit a surprising degree of informa- 
tion — subjects concerning which they know something and 
are anxious to learn more. These include familiar animals 
and objects; games and how to play them; ethics of 
home and school life; reproduction of stories. In each 
of these and kindred topics the teacher will find oppor- 
tunity invariably tied up with responsibility, and success 
here will mean much to the child in coming grade work. 

4. Children are natural conversationalists. That is to 
say, under conditions which provide freedom from embar- 
rassment, they blossom forth and give expression to their 
little ideas in bewildering profusion. However, the change 
from home to school often chills their ardor for talk- 
ing, and they become shy and silent. The teacher tells a 
story and asks for volunteers to repeat it, but the results, 
as a rule, are very disappointing. The number of those 
who are willing to undergo this ordeal forms only a small 
part of the whole school and is a fair indication of the 
percentage of the children who are unaffected by their 
surroundings. 

Here, then, is the problem which confronts the primary 
teacher : How shall she direct her training so as to obtain 
a ready response from the great majority of her pupils? 
The voluble, evidently, will take care of themselves ; there- 
fore, the true measure of her success will be her ability 
to reach those who are unresponsive, whatever may be the 
cause that prevents the free use of their mother tongue. 

Each thing which she says or does must be said or done 
with the purpose of making these backward pupils feel 
at home. In certain cases — perhaps not a few — she may 
never succeed; and those who continue her work may 



THE FIRST GRADE 11 

fail also, and these unfortunate children who start out 
with tied tongues may complete their eight years' work 
still shy and. uninfluenced by the drawing out process. 
Untiring persistence and the study of conditions which will 
interest the child and put him at his ease are earnestly 
advocated. The first is a prerequisite of success in any 
department of teaching; the second is essential especially 
to the primary teacher, for, if she fails in this respect, the 
future of the child may be blighted unless his after educa- 
tion be in exceptionally good hands. 

The following exercises are only suggestive, but it is 
thought they will arouse the attention of the children and 
therefore call forth ready comments and responses. The 
resourceful teacher will undoubtedly be able to supplement 
those given here. 

5. We shall suppose that the teacher has taken charge 
of a class of beginners and that the topic is language. She 
may pursue some such course as this : 

Children, I am thinking of an animal that you all know, and I 
wish you to guess what it is. It has feet, which we call paws; it 
lives in our houses and chases away thieves and other bad people ; 
it can— 

Perhaps before this point has been reached, some par- 
ticular child, braver than his fellows, has indicated his 
belief that it is a dog. 

Very well ; it is a dog. Now, who will tell me something about 
a dog he saw this morning'? 

Some of the following answers will probably be given: 

I saw a dog run. T saw a dog run after a cat. 

I saw a dog jump. I saw a dog run after a little boy. 

I saw a dog play. I saw a dog pulling a wagon. 



12 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

With the first four words in each of these answers as 
a basis, so many sentences may be offered that the judg- 
ment of the teacher will have to be called into action to 
determine when this exercise will have ceased to be of 
benefit. The frequent recurrence of the word saw should 
furnish a very effective drill in the use of a troublesome 
tense form. At what period in the experience of the 
pupil he shall be called upon to write sentences of this 
kind is a question the teacher must decide for herself. 
He may not be able to do so until he has become a second 
grade pupil, but the oral work as outlined above will equip 
him with a vocabulary and a ready means of expression 
which he will find helpful when he does begin to write. 

6. Children, we shall talk today about some of the things you 
like. Now make the nicest stories you can think of. 

I like apples. I like to play. 

I like peaches. I like to sing. 

I like roses. I like to go to school. 

I like ice cream. I like mamma. 

No, John ; I would not say ' ' I like mamma. ' ' Isn 't there a 
better word? Does mamma say she likes you? 

There will probably be some one in the class who will 
know the proper word ; and so the answer will come : 

I love mamma. 

7. Let us use the word catch for our little game today. "Who 
are ready to tell me a story about catch? 

I can catch Tom. A cat can catch a mouse. 

You can catch me. A boy can catch a ball. 

Now, children, let us try to leave can out. Tell me about the 
cat, William. 

The cat catches a mouse. The dog catches a rat. 

The boy catches the ball. The man catches fish. 



THE FIRST GRADE 13 

Here is another word that means nearly the same thing, chil- 
dren. It is caught. Let us use it in our stories. Who are 
ready? 

The boy caught the ball. 
The dog caught the rat. 
Willie caught me this morning. 
A cat caught a mouse yesterday. 

8. Here is a pencil. What do you know about pencils, children f 

My pencil is sharp. 
I can write with my pencil. 
My pencil makes a black mark. 
I sharpen my pencil with a knife. 

John broke his pencil, and he had to ask his teacher for 
another. 

9. As I stand here, I can look out of the window and see a roof. 
Can you tell me something about a roof? 

A roof is made of slate. 

A roof is made of wooden shingles. 

A roof is made of tin. 

A roof is made of tile. 

That is very good. Now tell me something else about a roof, 
but not in just the same way that you did before. 

Some roofs are flat and some are steep. 

The wind sometimes blows a roof off. 

My father is a carpenter and puts roofs on houses. 

My father is a tinner and puts roofs on houses. 

A roof is good to keep the rain out. 

10. In these oral discussions the teacher has an excel- 
lent opportunity to impress upon her pupils the correct 
forms of many of the irregular verbs in common use. By 
constant repetition, both in statements and in answers to 
questions, the habit of employing these forms exclusively 



14 



LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 



may finally become fixed. The following words are sug- 
gested for class exercises similar to the foregoing : 



marbles 


mother 


fly 


shoe 


jacks 


house 


horse 


ball 


child 


paper 


cat 


doll 


baby 


day 


ink 


chair 


bird 


night 


knife 


pencil 


rope 


school 


brush 


flower 


brother 


desk 


coal 


candy 


sister 


fish 


tub 


wagon 


father 


frog 


table 


slate 



Wash Day 

11. Children, we are going to talk about wash day this morn- 
ing. I shall expect you to tell me something that your mother 
does when she washes. Who are ready 1 ? 

Mother gathers up the clothes the night before. 

She puts the ones most soiled into the tub to soak. 

The next morning she washes them all. 

She then puts them into the boiler and boils them. 

She next rinses them in water and puts them through the 
wringer. 

She starches them and hangs them out on the line. 

When they are dry she brings them in and sprinkles them 
with water. 

She does this to make them ready for ironing. 

She then irons them, folds them, and lays them away. 

This exercise may be made more realistic by having 
the pupils draw pictures containing the posts, the line, 
the clothes, and even the washerwoman. The pranks of 
the wind may be illustrated at the same time. 

The teacher must determine for herself whether or not 
it is profitable to go more deeply into the matter of 
household duties. Of course this will depend upon the 
several factors which enter into the case. It may be 



THE FIRST GRADE 15 

remarked, however, that all the suggestions offered here 
and elsewhere are to a great extent without value unless 
the teacher invests them with action and real interest. 
Hence it is necessary for her to bring up for subjects of 
conversation the routine activities with which the child 
is familiar, and through them to call forth an expression 
of his hopes, his fears, his likes, and his dislikes, and also 
his inquiries into matters with which he is not so well 
acquainted, until he is able to say what he wishes, and to 
say it in language which is both correct and spontaneous. 

The Study of Pictures 

12. Another source of interest for the child is the 
picture. Almost every primary educational periodical has, 
in each issue, a full-page illustration which may be studied 
by the class as a whole, and which may furnish the basis 
of frequent talks between the teacher and her pupils. 
Then there are many other means of obtaining pictures, 
and of these the teacher who is alive to the needs of her 
class will avail herself. 

The Sentence 

13. In the discussion of every day affairs, in the con- 
versations which have led the young pupil into new fields 
of thought, in the descriptions of pictures, and in the 
reproduction of stories, the term sentence may not have 
been used. The pupil has probably been asked to tell a 
story about this, that, or the other object, but the time 
will soon come when he must meet the word and in a 
measure understand its meaning. It will therefore be 
appropriate to state to him that "Can you read" is an 
asking sentence, and that "I can run" is a telling sentence. 



16 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

He must also be told that every sentence should begin 
with a capital letter; that the telling sentence should end 
with a period; and that the asking sentence should 
end with an asking or a question mark. These two words, 
asking and telling, will be dropped in the course of time, 
but it is thought best to use them in the beginning grades 
for the simple reason that they appeal to the child mind, 
and are therefore more easily understood than such terms 
as interrogative and declarative. He may also be told 
that his "little name" — / — should always be written in 
capital form. 

Correct Forms 



14. The average child uses seen for saw because he 
hears it so much more frequently. Besides, when he is 
uncertain which of two forms is right, he is just as likely 
to use the incorrect as the correct one. Conversation and 
drill should aid in eliminating the trouble. During the 
greater part of the first year the word seen is found so 
seldom in what should be his vocabulary that its consid- 
eration for the time may be almost entirely disregarded. 
This should make the teaching of saw more definite and 
satisfactory. The word occurs so frequently that the 
teacher should not fail to give it the attention it deserves. 
Daily drill is not too much. 

Questions like the following may be asked, and they 
will probably be answered 'in the manner indicated: 

Where did you see the oat ? Where did you see the picture? 

I saw it on the porch. I saw it in the paper. 

When did you see Thomas'? When did you see the pai-ade 1 ? 

I saw him yesterday. I saw it at noon. 



THE FIRST GRADE 17 

heard 

While the pupil sees much, he also hears a great deal; 
and, in like manner, while he uses the past tense of see 
continually, he is very often required to employ the same 
tense of hear. There is this difference, however : the 
troublesome form seen has no counterpart in the use of 
heard, except that in certain localities heerd is substituted. 
At any rate, it is well to emphasize the correct form by 
the use of exercises like these : 

William, when did you hear the school bell ring? 
I heard it ring at twenty minutes to nine. 

Mary, where did you hear that beautiful song? 
I heard it at my cousin Julia's house. 

Sarah, when did your mamma hear from her sister? 
She heard from her last week. 

Catherine, when did you hear your canary sing? 
I heard it sing this morning. 

Jack, what did you hear a cat do last night? 
I heard it purr and mew. 

Frances, what did you hear Fido do yesterday? 
I heard him bark. 



This is a troublesome word to teach because of its simi- 
larity to come, but the results of drill in its use will be 
found more satisfactory if greater distinctness of pro- 
nunciation be insisted upon. This plan is suggested : 

At what time last evening did your father come home, Tom? 
He came home at six o'clock. 

When did this letter come, Mildred? 
It came this afternoon. 



18 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Joseph, did you come to school with Harry? 

No; I came with Tom. 
William, on what street did you come to school this morning? 

I came on Center Avenue. 

is are 

First grade pupils, as a class, have the ability to dis- 
criminate in the use of these words, and practice will fix 
the proper forms more firmly in mind. This may be 
obtained in two ways : first, by requiring oral sentences 
containing is or are; and, second, by placing sentences 
on the blackboard with is or are omitted. Of necessity, the 
latter method will be deferred until the pupils are able 
to recognize the written words, but the former may be 
employed almost from the beginning. 

John, can you tell me something about this apple, using the 
word is? 

The apple is sweet. 
Tell me something else about it. 

The apple is red. 
And something else. 

The apple is round. 

That is very well done. Now, Mary, see if you can do as 
well. Here are two apples. What can you tell me about them? 
The apples are sweet. 

I notice that you said are instead of is. Now tell me some- 
thing else about them. 

The apples are red. 
Yes; and something else. 

The apples are round. 

Joseph, which sounds better: "The apples is green," or "The 
apples are green"? 

The apples are green. 



THE FIRST GRADE 19 

Reproduction 

15. The value of this phase of language teaching is 
unquestionable. The number of stories suggested in the 
educational periodicals is ample proof of its popularity, 
although there may be the danger of having too much of 
it. It should be exclusively oral in the first grade, and the 
teacher will here find an opportunity for training the 
memory, impressing lessons of kindness, bravery, and 
morality, and developing the power of expression which 
no other means can accomplish so well. It must not be 
forgotten that the manner of telling the story is sometimes 
even more effective than the story itself; and here the 
teacher has the additional opportunity of throwing all 
her charm of voice and personality into the telling. It 
is only by thorough preparation that worthy results are 
to be obtained. In all cases, the story must be adapted 
to the understanding of the pupils and told in the words 
they are accustomed to using, so that when they are called 
upon to reproduce it they will do so jn terms within their 
comprehension. 

Special attention should be paid to the shy pupil who 
can scarcely be induced to say a word. By an artful ques- 
tion he may be persuaded to venture two or three words in 
reply; be satisfied with that for the first time. Then lead 
him on to a few more in another lesson. Results may be 
exceedingly slow in his case, but the seed is being sown 
and the harvest will come by and by. Where it is found 
best, the lesson to be learned should have its appropriate 
place for discussion ; but the teacher should see to it that 
all are encouraged to take part in whatever is done. The 
following story, from the School Century, will illustrate 
how a moral may be combined with the story in such a 
way as to be apparent without discussion. 



20 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

What Robbie Lost 

When Robbie and his little brother were playing marbles one 
morning, they had a quarrel; and Robbie, becoming angry, 
slapped his little brother. Mother saw it all from the window, 
and was sorry because her little boy had lost his temper. 

At dinner his mother said: "Robbie, did you know you lost 
something this morning V 

"Why, no, mamma," said Robbie. 

"Yes, it is something which it is very sad for any one to lose," 
went on mamma. 

Robbie thought of his knife, his ball, his cap— he had lost 
none of them. 

"Why, mamma, I am very sure I didn't lose anything," said 
Robbie. 

"Yes, Robbie, you did. You lost something which it is very 
much worse to lose than losing any of your playthings— your 
temper. ' ' 

16. The story to be told may also be taken from the 
realm of fancy, but there should be a sufficient amount 
of what we call the practical to impress the child with the 
fact that there is something in the world for him besides 
play and fairies and make-believe. Holidays and the birth- 
days of great men will furnish ample opportunity for both 
the real and the imaginary. 

Selections may also be made from the following list of 
stories, which contains most of those now in general use. 
Some are fables, some are fairy stories, while others are 
of an historical character: 

The Sleeping Princess. Scudder: Children's Book 

The Elves and the Shoemaker. Scudder: Fables and Folk 
Stories 

The Old Woman and Her Pig. Bailey and Leicis: For the 
Children's Hour 

The Little Red Hen. Bailey and Lewis: For the Children's 
Hour 



THE FIRST GRADE 21 

Dust Under the Rug. Lindsay: Mother Stories 

The Search for a Good Child. Lindsay: Mother Stories 

The Lion and the Mouse. Scudder: Fables and Folk Stories 

The Three Little Pigs. Bailey and Lewis: For the Children's 
Hour 

Cinderella. Lang: Blue Fairy Book 

How the Robin's Breast Became Red. Bailey and Lewis: 
For the Children's Hour 

The Stone in the Road. Bailey and Lewis : For the Children 's 
Hour 

Golden-rod and Aster. Bailey and Lewis : For the Children 's 
Hour 

The Crow and the Pitcher. Scudder: Fables and Folk 
Stories 

The Dog and His Shadow. Coussens: A Child's Book of 
Stories 

Little Red Riding Hood. Scudder: Fables and Folk Stories 

The Ant and the Grasshopper. Scudder: Fables and Folk 
Stories 

The Story of Christmas. Bryant: How to Tell Stories to 
Children 

Snow White and Rose Red. Grimm: Fairy Tales 

The Princess on the Glass Hill. Coussens : A Child 's Book 
of Stories 

The Boy Who Cried ' ' Wolf ! ' ' Coussens : A Child 's Book of 
Stories 

Hans and the Wonderful Flower. Bailey and Lewis: For 
the Children's Hour 

Two Little Kittens. Harpers: Our Children's Songs 

The Story of the Christ Child 

The Story of Santa Claus 

The Story of Lincoln 

The Story of Washington 

The Story of Thanksgiving 

The Story of Columbus 



22 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Dramatization 

17. The thorough and progressive teacher should aim 
at the happy medium between ultraradicalism on the one 
side and unchanging conservatism on the other. She will 
therefore avoid the undue worship of strange gods as well 
as the following of a rut wherein lies stagnation. Some 
mock at such conceptions as dramatization. To them it 
has no place in the schoolroom, being simply a fad that 
will swiftly run its course, and they think to save them- 
selves trouble, humiliation, and the retracing of steps by 
rejecting that which has at least a fiber of value in its 
warp. Still dramatization has its uses, and the primary 
teacher will find that her pupils will be greatly benefited 
by participating in exercises coming under this head. 

As to the subject matter: The Three Bears, Belling the 
Cat, The Wind and the Sun, The Fox and the Grapes, 
The Ant and the Grasshopper, or almost any of the short 
stories to be found in the above list of stories for reproduc- 
tion are excellent for this purpose ; the school readers con- 
tain many tales that can be utilized in this way; and the 
home itself, with a little coaxing, will also furnish a never- 
failing supply of effective material. No instructions are 
given here regarding the method of procedure, but even the 
inexperienced teacher should have little difficulty in infus- 
ing enthusiasm into the acting of stories she considers 
suitable. Children will enter into the spirit of the play 
so heartily that they will in most cases be able to carry 
on the dialogue without assistance. They lose their own 
identity entirely, and become the person or the animal 
whose actions they are depicting. A change of actors at 
each successive repetition will make a more general impres- 
sion from the fact that a larger number of pupils are thus 
enabled to take part in the play. 



THE FIRST GRADE 23 

Completion of Sentences 

(a) By the addition of a predicate or an assumed 
predicate 

18. This exercise may be given by presenting the first 
part of the sentence orally and pausing just as the required 
word is reached. Some one is then chosen to recite the 
completed thought. Its value consists mainly in teaching 
the pupil to employ words with intelligence and discrimi- 
nation. In a somewhat more difficult form, it will add 
not only to his vocabulary but also to his knowledge of 
certain activities represented by the predicates. 

The dog . The eat . 

The wind . The frog . 

The ice . The rain . 

The bird . The sun . 

The lion . The grass . 

Do you hear the dog ? 

Do you see the eat ? 

Can you hear the wind ? 

Did you see the rain "? 

Do you see the bird — — ? 
Did you hear the bird *? 

While the child has his full quota of the five senses, he 
uses those of hearing and seeing most of all ; and to these 
the teacher usually appeals. There are good reasons win- 
she should assist in the training of the other three. Such 
sentences as these illustrate the point : 

The water seems . My orange tastes so . 

The water is . Is gjass ? 

This rose smells . Is snow ? 

Do you feel your heart ? The meat is no! . 

This stone is . These apples are . 



24 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Frequently, questions or statements like these may be 
completed by any one of two or more words, and it will 
be well to arouse the spirit of rivalry as to who can find 
the greatest number. The blank in "Do you see the 

bird ?" may be filled by any one of several words, 

such as fly, soar, hop, and sit. Introductions like the dog, 
the cat, etc., present further opportunities for the pupil 
to exercise his ingenuity and incidentally to enlarge his 
vocabulary. 

(b) By the addition of an object 

Different pupils will suggest different words where it 
is possible to do so, and interest will develop as the search 
goes on. Then, again, the class will be just as positive 
that in some instances only one word will bring about a 
sensible and satisfactory completion of the sentence ; and 
this conclusion should add to their definite knowledge. 

The squirrel built a . I tasted an . 

Sarah planted a . John sharpened a . 

The cat ate her . The hen laid an . 

Mary has learned her . Did mamma lose her ? 

Has your father read the ? The carpenter built a . 

Did George Washington cut Does mamma love ? 

down a ? Henry drew a . 

(c) By supplying missing words 

Since it is necessary to use the blackboard for this 
exercise, it must be given during a period of the year 
when the pupils have become acquainted with a com- 
paratively large number of written words. The sentences 
should contain only those which they recognize at sight, 
so that they may be able to read the whole statement 
or question as they supply the required word. 



THE FIRST GRADE 25 

I can read my . Are your hands ? 

Tom can very fast. May a good girl. 

Joseph was ill week. The children happy. 

Fido is a dog. This is book. 

Is the sun ? I apples. 

The cow has eyes. I mamma. 

Snow is and . the apples sweet? 

Jack found marbles. The apples are sweet. 

Formation of Sentences from Suggested Words 

19. This is a device common to all grades, and is just 
as applicable to the first as to any of the others. 
When once beginners find that they can play a game 
with given words, they engage in it with the utmost 
enthusiasm. 

John, play a game with J. 

I bought a top for five cents. 

William, play a game with cat. 
A cat caught a mouse. 

Sarah, play a game with bird. 

A bird built a nest on our porch and laid three eggs in it. 

Mary, play a game with elephant. 

The elephant is a very large animal. 

There may be backward pupils in the class, as there 
usually are, but they will soon discover that this is a game 
at which they, as well as their more forward neighbors, 
can play. 

If you prefer to substitute the word story for game, by 
all means do so. 

Pronouns 

20. A first grade pupil can be taught to say "It is I," 
and the earlier this is begun the sooner he may drop "It 
is me." He will naturally experience trouble, for the 



26 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

tendencies of his home, of his playmates, and of almost 
every one with whom he holds any sort of intercourse, 
stand between him and "It is I." Only the teacher is 
there to battle with him and for him. Can we blame her 
when she not only feels, but says outright, "What's the 
use?" But there is use, and her duty is to engage in the 
battle with the same persistent effort she would employ in 
any other good cause. "It is he," "It is she," "It is we," 
" It is they, ' ' should have their share of attention, also. 

If possible, daily drill, no matter how short, should 
take place, for it is not so much its length as its frequency 
which tells. It seems reasonable to suppose that such a 
method pursued throughout the eight grades will have 
its intended effect. 

Correct Past Forms 

21. We have already spoken of saw, heard, and came. 
There are other irregular verbs in frequent use among 
pupils of the first grade, and the correct forms of their 
past tenses may be taught in an interesting manner by 
employing the various actions indicated by the verba 
themselves, thus: 

John throws a ball to William, who catches it. The following 
conversation may ensue: 

Samuel, what did John do? 

John threw the ball to William. 
Sarah, what did William do? 

William caught the ball. 

Again : Marcella gives an apple to Marie, who eats it. 
Joseph, what did Marcella do? 

She gave an apple to Marie. 
Mary, what did Marie do? 

Marie ate the apple. 



THE FIRST GRADE 27 

This plan, in a somewhat modified form, may be adopted 
with took, shook, did, rose, sat, ran, sang, rang, drew, 
blew, etc. 

Picture Cutting 

22. This should prove one of the most delightful of 
exercises to young pupils. The joys of Thanksgiving, of 
Halloween, of Christmas, and of other festival occasions 
may thus be expressed without words, or they may be 
adequately supplemented by the charmingly spontaneous 
and profuse language of childhood. While the picture, 
or series of pictures, may be eloquent in the portrayal of 
the ideas of the child, his added oral description will 
increase his interest in the work. 

Common Errors in Oral English 

23. In every locality there are peculiar errors of speech 
which children learn at home and from their companions. 
In addition to these, there are to be found expressions 
equally erroneous which are country-wide in their use. A 
few of the most common are appended: 

I didn't do nothing. 

I haven't got no sponge. 

Leave me sharpen them pencils. 

You did that real good. 

I ain't going. 

Me and John went to the store. 

I feel kind of sick. 

I got this apple off Jim. 

John he took the pencil. 

Leave me go. 

Stand in back of me. 

I want yous to come with me. 

The teacher gave the both of them a scolding. 

We all slept over this morning. 



28 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Describing Actions 

24. A pupil comes to the teacher's desk. He says, "I have 
brought you an apple, Miss Jones." 

Another goes to one of his classmates and says, "Please lend 
me your book, Fred." He then reports to the teacher, "I have 
asked Fred to lend me his book." 

A third closes the door. "I have shut the door, Miss Jones." 

The idea is to encourage the pupils at this particular 
period to do any orderly thing they have in mind, and to 
describe it in one or more sentences. The greater the 
variety of actions involved, the more extensive will be 
the resulting descriptions. 

Another form of this exercise is to require pupils to 
describe the actions of their classmates. For example, 
after Grace has been asked to perform any act she likes, 
Harry says: 

"Grace picked up her book and left the room." 
Other actions may be described thus: 

William took a long breath and laughed. 
David clapped his hands three times. 
Carrie sang "America." 

Will took the whistle from his pocket and blew it and put 
it back. 

In such a sentence as the last it would seem that 
the teacher has a good opportunity to show that the omis- 
sion of the first and will sound better. She may impress 
this lesson by a distinct pause after each member of the 
series, thus: 

Will took a whistle from his pocket— blew it— and put it back. 
Sam went to the hydrant — took a drink— and sat down. 
Miss Jones called George to her desk— gave him a piece of 
paper— and told him to draw a picture of a flower. 



THE FIRST GRADE 29 

Ordinarily, however, the number of acts should be lim- 
ited to two, because the mental capacity of the child is 
scarcely comprehensive enough to proceed from the descrip- 
tion of one act to that of the next without the connective 
upon which he has been accustomed to depend. 

Technical Work in the First Grade 

25. Observation and instruction lead the pupil to a 
knowledge of these facts: 

1. That sentences begin with capital letters. 

2. That proper names begin with capital letters. 

3. That the pronoun I is written in capital form. 

4. That a period is placed at the end of a telling sentence. 

5. That a question mark is placed at the end of an asking 
sentence. 

Because his attention has been called to the foregoing 
rules for the greater part of the year, he can be brought 
into closer contact with them before he leaves the grade 
by being required to copy sentences from his reader or 
to write from dictation. He will thereby be obliged to 
put his theoretical knowledge to practical use. He must 
remember, in dictation, what words are to be capitalized 
and what particular mark follows a telling or an asking 
sentence, but he is not to be burdened by the twofold task 
of holding facts in his mind and of giving reasons for the 
existence of those facts. If he accepts the reasons under- 
stand ingly, it is well, but in no case should he be worried 
concerning matters that can be taught with more satisfac- 
tory results a year later. 

Other technical work should include the writing of his 
name and the copying of the name of his city, his state, 
and his residence. 



30 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

The Study of Adjectives 

26. Children, I wish you to do some thinking for me today. 
I should like to know if you can name something that is round. 
Will you be first, Thomas? 

A ball. 
Yes; but tell me the whole story. 

A ball is round. 
That is what I want. Mary, can you tell me something else 
that is round? 

An apple is round. 

When the application of the word round has been 
exhausted, the word white may be chosen and the ingenuity 
of the children set to work upon it. The advantages of 
this exercise are these : The pupils are being taught to 
think before they speak; they are being induced to talk; 
they are telling what they know; some of them are 
enlarging their vocabularies. 

Pursue the same plan with these adjectives: 



red 


long 


strong 


dark 


black 


short 


beautiful 


bright 


green 


large 


rough 


juicy 


yellow 


clean 


smooth 


cold 


sweet 


small 


soft 


warm 


sour 


heavy 


hard 


good 



Combination of Adjectives 

27. Here is an apple, children. Tell me something about it, 
Samuel. 

The apple is round. 
Tell me something else, Grace. 

The apple is red. 
Now, Mildred, tell me the same things about this apple in a 
single sentence. 

The apple is round and red. 



THE FIRST GRADE 31 

Sentences such as the following may be developed from 
the study of suitable objects : 

This ball is soft and round. 
That orange is sweet and juicy. 
The sun is warm and bright. 
My book is new and clean. 
Your ring is round and yellow. 
Julia's canary is small and beautiful. 
My paper is smooth and white. 
John's hair is black and curly. 
Snow is white and cold. 
Coal is black and hard. 

Conversations 

28. (a) The snow — when it comes first — what it really 
is — where it is always to be found — where it is never 
found — some of the enjoyments that snow brings — some 
of the privations caused by it and the cold — how snow 
protects vegetation. 

(6) Clouds — what they are — how we know they are light 
in weight — why they are in motion — their height — what 
they contain — their colors — their uses. 

(c) The chestnut — where it grows — the house in which 
it grows [procure one for observation] — why its home is 
made so strong — where chestnuts may be purchased — how 
much is paid for them. 

(d) The canary — its color — its song — how it is kept in 
the house — who cares for it — how it is cared for — what it 
eats — why it must be treated more gently than other birds. 

(e) Potatoes — where they grow — how they are planted — 
how they are cultivated — when they are taken from the 
ground — how they are prepared for cooking — in what ways 
they may be cooked. 



32 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Lessons in Politeness 

29. There is little variation in polite usage, hence the 
child's memory will not be burdened with an effort to 
retain a mass of rules. He should know the following, 
and know them well, so that he may use them auto 
matically at the psychological moment: 

1. May I be excused from the room 1 ? 

2. Please give me a sheet of paper. 

3. Good morning, Miss Smith. 

4. Good afternoon, Sarah. 

The expressions "Excuse me" or "Pardon me" are 
used for many necessary and unavoidable acts and call for 
special instruction, which the teacher should endeavor to 
give very clearly and at the same time simply, so that the 
child mind may be able to grasp it. 

While it is proper that forms denoting courtesy should 
be suggested to the child with clue persistence, it must 
not be forgotten that the manner in which the training 
is given will make as lasting an impression as the training 
itself. In other words, the teacher will become the model 
for the taught, and therein lie her power and opportunity 
for presenting both precept and example. The realiza- 
tion that she is able "to so influence the child that he 
wishes to show his good will toward his fellows, even if 
it is solely on her account, should fill her with the desire 
to work more earnestly along that line. 

John, if I were to meet you at nine o'clock on Saturday 
morning, what would you say to me? 

I would say, ' ' Good morning, Miss Miller. ' ' 
If I should stop to talk with you for a few minutes, what would 
you say on leaving me? 

I would say, "Good-by, Miss Miller." 



THE FIRST GRADE 33 

Could you say anything else? 

I could say, "Good morning 1 , Miss Miller." 

When I dismiss my pupils in the morning, what do they say? 
They say, "Good morning, Miss Miller." 

When you eome to school in the afternoon, what do you say? 
I say, "Good afternoon, Miss Miller." 

If you were to meet me at six o 'clock this evening, what should 
you say? 

I should say, ' ' Good evening, Miss Miller. ' ' 

If you were to part from me at nine o'clock in the evening, 
what should you say? 

I should say, ' * Good night, Miss Miller. ' ' 

If you were not certain whether it was morning or afternoon, 
what might you say? 

I think I might say, ' ' Good day, Miss Miller. ' ' 

Other forms of everyday etiquette may be exemplified 
in the same manner. 

Have no mercy on "Hello," for, as a salutation, it has 
no place in the mouth, of a child. 

Instruction in Morals 

30. This department of teaching belongs to language 
work, because the pupils take an active part in the dis- 
cussions that arise and in the stories that are told. They 
may reproduce the lessons of morality taught by the 
teacher, relate instances of kind acts which they have 
observed, and also recount examples of honor, honesty, 
courtesy, bravery, and protection to dumb creatures which 
have eome within their knowledge. As language exercises, 
these recitals and conversations must have the quality of 
orderly arrangement; as lessons in morals, they should 
be of the highest type. 



34 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

As to material: The teacher who reads will find abun- 
dance for her purpose in the magazines, the papers, and 
the books to which, in most cases, she has free access ; but 
the daily experiences that fall to all should be the fountain 
from which real inspiration flows. 

Conversations 

31. (a) The wind — Can you see it? — Can you feel it ? — 
Can you hear it? — What are some of the things the wind 
can do? — Does the wind warm you or cool you? — When 
do you like this to happen ? — Does a fan make wind ? 

(h) Your birthday — What is it ? — When will it take place 
next? — How old are you now? — How old will you be 
then? — What are sometimes given to children on their 
birthdays? — Does every person have a birthday? 

A Guessing Game 

32. I am thinking of an animal. Can yon guess its name? 
It lives in the woods and in the fields. 

It likes cabbage and leaves of different kinds. 

It is afraid of boys and men and dogs. 

It is easily frightened, therefore we call it a timid animal. 

It has long ears and scarcely any tail. 

It has soft brown or white fur. 

We often call it "Bunny." 

The name of the animal will frequently be guessed as 
soon as the first sentence has been uttered. It is most 
effective, perhaps, when the pupils have charge of the 
game, one of them being assigned to the place of statement 
maker. Teachers are well able to judge whether it is suffi- 
ciently instructive to be worth while. 



THE FIRST GRADE 35 

Singulars and Plurals 

33. Tell me what I have, Jack. 

You have a pencil. 

I have picked up another. Now, how many have I ? 
You have two pencils. 

What have I now 1 ? 
You have a box. 

And now? 

You have two boxes. 

Grace, tell me what I have. 

You have a leaf in your hand. 

Now what have I ? 

You have two leaves in your hand. • 

Joe, what have I in my hand? 

You have a knife in your hand. 

Tell me the story now. 

You have three knives in your hand. 

Is there any necessity for requiring rules here? Facts 
are very important considerations for the beginner, and it 
is not wise to burden him with anything else. 

Where and When 

34. Where is James standing? 
Where did John go last evening? 

Where will you take your baby sister on Saturday? 
When do you expect to visit your uncle? 
When do you eat your breakfast? 

The Blackboard Composition 

35. In the beginning of this phase of language work it 
is necessary for pupils to be able to read script, because 
that is the form in which the sentences will be placed on 



36 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

the blackboard. Two conditions are to be observed — 
short sentences and orderly arrangement. If a thought 
which does not meet the latter requirement is offered, write 
it elsewhere on the board with the statement that it will 
be used in the proper place. The first attempts at this 
kind of composition should be short; afterward the length 
may be increased gradually, although in no case will it 
be desirable to write more than five or six sentences. 

Individual Written Composition 

36. The pupils are told to write on paper a sentence 
containing such words as I, you, Tom, mamma, bird, cat, 
etc. Preferably, the word assigned is to be the subject, 
although it does not matter greatly whether they use it 
in that way or not, for in the beginning it is something 
of a victory to obtain almost any kind of sentence. Later 
it may be feasible to say, "When you use mamma in a 
sentence, you are to tell that she is doing a certain thing. ' ' 
So with bird, cat, Tom, etc. 

As the formation of a single sentence with a suggested 
word as its basis has been described as being within the 
power of first grade pupils, why not carry the matter a 
little farther by requiring them to write two or three 
sentences on the same subject? The answer to this query 
depends upon these conditions: 

1. How far advanced are the pupils? 

2. Do they take hold of language work with enthusiasm? 

3. How does the teacher feel about the matter? 

4. Is it worth while? 

In general, the answer would appear to be a negative 
one ; but if the pupils are well advanced mentally and 
have a strong grasp on underlying principles, and if the 



THE FIRST GRADE 37 

teacher is enthusiastic in her leadership, it will be worth 
while, because the ability of the children to do the sim- 
plest kind of written work is an indication that they are 
ready to take the next step, with every assurance that they 
will succeed in one of the most important departments 
of the course of study. 

As to the method of procedure : First, a familiar word 
is selected, and the pupils are invited to tell what they 
know or think about the object represented by this word. 
Each of a certain number of volunteers has the privilege 
of writing one short sentence on the board, and when that 
has been done the pupils are allowed the choice of any 
two sentences that particularly please them. These are 
copied on paper, and represent what they consider the 
best things that have been said on the subject. 

A later proceeding will be to choose the subject and 
invite expressions of opinion. After each pupil has writ- 
ten one sentence on his paper, pause for further discussion, 
so that nothing will be written at random, and then ask 
for the second sentence. The knowledge that he is able 
to make a beginning will give him the confidence that he 
can go on to a successful termination of the task. 

Still later a picture may form the basis for the exercise. 
Choose one which is full of action, and about which the 
class will be eager to weave a story. There may be several 
children in the picture, and the little folks will take keen 
delight in naming them. These names the teacher should 
write on the board as soon as they are decided upon. Then 
many sentences, such as: John can catch May, May has an 
apple, John and May love mamma, will be forthcoming. 
Perhaps the picture shows some animal, as a cat, a dog, or 
a bird. Many are the sentences that will be offered for the 
coveted place in the story, and proud indeed will the little 



38 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

workers be when they see their words and the picture they 
describe, put up side by side. If each may have a small 
copy of the picture to paste on the paper upon which he 
writes these sentences, his satisfaction will be complete. 



CHAPTEE II 

THE SECOND GRADE 
Outline of Work 

37. 1. Review of first grade work 

2. Troublesome tense forms 

3. Homonyms 

4. Abbreviations 

5. Punctuation 

6. Reproduction 

7. Dramatization 

8. Conversations 

9. Oral composition 
10. "Written composition 

38. It is in this grade that the pupil will experience his 
actual start in written composition. Of course it will be 
elementary in character, for he must not be burdened 
overmuch with the double task of fashioning his ideas and 
of laboriously placing them on paper. His tongue will 
continue to be the favorite medium for communicating 
his thoughts, although he will feel proud when he realizes 
that he has acquired another method of expression — one 
in which his tongue takes no part. His pride and ambi- 
tion will urge him forward to greater endeavor, provided 
he is not given too much to do. Since his brain tires 
easily, the periods of time devoted to this work must be 
brief and, what is almost as important, must not come too 
frequently. 

39 



40 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Correct use of language and freedom of expression are 
two qualities which the teachers in all the grades should 
endeavor to develop in their pupils, and in most cases 
they are the result of persistent oral and written drill. 
Correct language is attained by eliminating the bad and 
substituting the good wherever possible. Continued repe- 
tition of the latter is bound to have some of its legitimate 
effect in the end, even though it be heard only in the 
schoolroom. Freedom of expression comes through prac- 
tice and proper encouragement, and is even more difficult 
to acquire than correct language. It is of course not so 
important in written work, because in that case the pupil 
is given ample time in which to tell his thoughts; but, if 
he is to become a ready speaker, he must cultivate the 
faculty of quick thinking and of clear and accurate utter- 
ance, and that is more easily said than done. Both of 
these qualities will be considered in the discussion of second 
grade work. 

It is evident that the principles involved in language 
teaching during the first year apply equally well here; 
therefore the same things must be taught, although more 
intensively. The pupil must be made to retain what he 
has acquired and to add to his small stock as the days go 
by. He has been instructed in the use of saw, came, heard, 
ate, did, blew, knew, grew, drew, sat, ran, and similar 
words ; of /, he, she, we, and they; of capital letters, 
periods, and question marks ; and he will need much more 
drill along the same lines. Sentence formation will con- 
tinue, because this is the very foundation of composition 
work. He has learned to take part in dramatization, 
reproduction, picture study, and picture cutting, and these 
will be pursued in the second grade, also. Consequently, 
much review will be necessary, but there will be new 



THE SECOND GRADE 41 

situations to face and new problems to solve. In the mean- 
time, let us begin with an old enemy. 



39. The pupils may be asked such questions as: 

When did you see Tom, Mary? 
Where you did see William, John 1 ? 
Sarah, what did you see in the paper? 

Amanda, what was the first thing you saw when you got 
up this morning 1 ? 

They should be required to answer them in sentences 
containing the introductory words, I saw. 

I saw Tom yesterday. 

I saw William at Sunday School. 

I saw three pictures in the paper. 

I saw mamma the first thing this morning. 

Supplementary to this, have them use / saw in sentences 
both oral and written, such words or expressions as yes- 
terday, this morning, last week, on Christmas being intro- 
duced to convey the idea of past time. 

40. The pupil is to be told that he must not use seen 
unless he uses has or have with it. Of course this is only 
part of the story, but it may suffice until his grasp is strong 
enough to hold the other auxiliaries in memory. Here, 
again, come the oral questions and answers ; for example : 

Have you seen my pencil? 
I have not seen it today. 

Where have you seen flowers? 

I have seen flowers in the fields, in the gardens, 
and in the parks. 

After the pupils have become accustomed to the forms 
indicated in the foregoing sentences, they may be required 
to fill the following blanks: 



42 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

I have not your pencil today, but I it last week. 

Tom his dog in the school yard. 

Mary has not her papa for a week. 

Harry two pretty birds this morning. 

We have the leaves falling from the trees. 

is are 

41. Write a sentence containing is; one containing are. 

Does is mean one or more than one? 
Does are mean one or more than one? 
Fill the blanks : 

John a good boy. the apple sweet ? 

The pencil sharp. The pencils sharp. 

The apples sweet. The flowers pretty. 

Use in sentences the following words as subjects of is: 

snow rose May paper 

coal sugar baby ink 

ice flour slate candy 

In the same manner, use these words as subjects of are: 

flowers boys desks books 

leaves girls papers pencils 

children pictures kittens apples 

to two too 

42. We must not expect too much from pupils of the 
second grade regarding words that quite often puzzle 
people of a riper age ; and yet, since one or more of the 
above forms occur in almost every sentence, even beginners 
must be taught to distinguish between them and to use 
them correctly. 

I walked school this morning. 

boys came with me. 

Are you going take a walk tomorrow? 

I like play- 



THE SECOND GRADE 43 

There are cents in my pocket. 

I saw birds on a fence. 

I am warm. 

The water is cold drink. 

I am tired play. 

came 

43. By proper questioning the pupils may be led to 
state that — 

I came to school this morning on Center Avenue. 

Mary came with me. We came early. 

Aunt Millie came to our house last Friday. 

No one came with her. 

Tavo of my friends came last night to play with me. 

John came to school late this morning. 

Practice on has come, have come, did come will be simi- 
lar to that on has seen, and should be sufficient in amount 
and frequency to produce decided results. 

here hear 

44. Here means in this place ; hear is what we do with 
our ears — it is the same as ear with h placed before it. 

Sit , Tom. 

Can you the birds sing? 

is your top, Fred. 

Sarah is not this morning. 

I shall now you recite. 

I can you better if you stand . 

new knew 

45. The vowel sound in each of these two words is that 
of long u. Many teachers do not insist on their correct 
pronunciation. 



44 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

I have a top. 

The slate is not . 

My mother has bought me a hat. 

I my lesson yesterday. 

Tom has a sled. 

Mary where Tom hid. 

Jack how to spell the word that his teacher pro- 
nounced for him. 

was were 

46. After the necessary explanation regarding the use 
of these words, have the pupils copy the sentences and 
fill in the blanks. 

The paper torn. The papers torn. 

A bird in the nest. Two birds in the nest. 

my book in the desk? my books in the desk? 

Mamma sewing last night. your mamma sewing, too? 

The men eating their the man eating his din- 
lunch, ner? 

The books lost. the book lost? 

A man working on the the men working on the 

street. street ? 

There should be frequent oral drills in the use of the 
word were. Remember that repetition should be the 
watchword in teaching troublesome forms. 

In the following sentences, substitute ivas for were and 
were for was, making any other requisite changes: 

• The birds were in the nest. Was the book in the desk? 

The bells were ringing. Was the egg in the basket ? 

The flower was beautiful. Were the stars bright ? 

Use was or were in telling sentences beginning with /, 
we, she, he, it, they, you. 

Use was or were in asking sentences containing she, he, 
it, they, you. 



THE SECOND GRADE 45 

bas have 

47. As usual, oral discussion should precede the written 
work. Fill blanks : 



The book leaves. 


— — the book leaves? 


Books leaves. 


The apple seeds. 


Apples seeds. 


the apple seeds ? 



Change these sentences so that has will become have and 
have become has: 

The children have clean hands. Has the rabbit long ears? 
Birds have wings. A cow has horns. 

Use is, are, was, were, has, have in sentences with the 
following words as subjects: 

grass knife stars fingers 

sun man oranges pennies 

window sleds leaves tree 

house knives 

Use these words as subjects, with have or has in both 
asking and telling sentences : I, we, he, she, it. 

you 

48. The plural form of the verb must always be used 
with this word when it is the subject of a sentence or a 
clause. The most troublesome combination to teach is 
were you, and here is where the most persistent work must 
be done. Require the pupils to ask such questions of each 
other as the following : 

Were you at home last evening? 

Were you at church last Sunday? 

Were you at the circus last summer? 

Were you tired when you had finished the game? 



46 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

their there 

49. At some time during the second year of the child's 
experience in school he will be called upon to discriminate 
clearly in the use of these words. Lead him to study 
them just as he has studied other difficulties. 

Look at this sentence, children: "Mary sits here; John sits 
there. ' ' 

How many know how to spell there? 
How many can write it on the board for me? 
Here is another sentence: "The girls are putting on their 
hats." 

Who can spell their? 
Who can write it? 

Have the children fill the blanks in the following 
sentences : 

The boy standing is my brother. 

Where is house ? 

Willie and Mary have lost books. 

is the boy I want. 

no know 

50. I my lesson. Mary, do you yours? 

I have time to play. 

Do you what I have in my hand 1 

I have had dinner yet. 

, that is not the lesson. 



write right 

51. I have learned to my name. 

It is not to steal. 

I can a letter to Santa Claus. 

That is not the lesson. 



THE SECOND GRADE 47 

Dramatization 

52. When the pupil reaches the second grade he is 
better prepared to enjoy this feature of school work 
because of the experience he has had. Make-believe con- 
versations may be given enough of the so-called "stage 
setting" to take them somewhat out of the ordinary, and 
stories containing the dramatic element are always accessi- 
ble. Here, then, are two ways by means of which this 
phase of training may be pursued. 

I. Conversations 

1. Conversations between acquaintances; the greetings used; 
the dialogues that follow. 

2. Conversations between merchants and their customers, in 
which the prices and qualities of desired articles are discussed. 
These may include the proffering of toy money and the counting 
out of change after the fashion of business people. 

3. Conversations between doctors and the mothers of children 
who are assumed to be ill. 

4. Conversations about occupations and everyday activities. 

II. Stories 

The Three Bears. Jacobs: English Fairy Tales 
The Lion and the Mouse. Scudder: Fables and Folk Stories 
Little Red Riding Hood. Scudder: Fables and Folk Stories 
The Country Mouse and the Town Mouse. Scudder: Fables 

and Folk Stories 

The Dog in the Manger. Baldwin: Fairy Tales and Fables 
The Fox and the Crow. Scudder: Fables and Folk Stories 
The Ant and the Grasshopper. Bailey and Lewis: For the 

Children's Hour 
The Boy and the Wolf. Baldwin : Fairy Tales and Fables 
The Wind and the Sun. Bailey and Lewis: For the Children 's 

Hour 

The Lark and the Farmer. Baldwin : Fairy Stories and Fables 



48 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Descriptions of Objects 

53. Here is a book, children. Tell me something about it. 

The book has leaves. 

The book has a cover. 
Very good. Now, can you make one sentence out of the two ? 

The book has leaves and a cover. 
Here is a knife. Who will tell me about it ? 

A knife has blades. 

A knife has a handle. 
Now, make one sentence out of the two. 

A knife has blades and a handle. 

In like manner, discuss with the children some of the 
familiar objects about them, such as the desk, the ivindow, 
the house, the bicycle, the automobile. A little later they 
may be led to write sentences similar to the foregoing, in 
which care must be taken to choose subjects that can be 
described in words which they perfectly understand. For 
example, the pupil may write: 

The orange is round. 
The orange is sweet. 
The orange is yellow. 

It should require but little explanation to persuade 
him that it is unnecessary to use the word orange more than 
once. As soon as he understands this he will rewrite his 
lesson thus: 

The orange is round. 
It is sweet. 
It is yellow. 
Again : 

Gold is hard. Gold is hard. 

Gold is yellow. It is yellow. 

Gold is hard and yellow. It is used in the making of rings. 



THE SECOND GRADE 49 

54. Write five sentences telling what are round; what 
are small; what are hard; what are big; what are smooth; 
what are sweet; what are white; what are black. 

The Question Method in Composition 

55. Require the pupils to give oral answers to the 
questions asked on the various subjects under this cap- 
tion. Later they may write their sentences. 

The Orange. — What is the shape of an orange? What is its 
color ? How does it taste 1 ? Where do you buy it? Why do you 
like oranges? 

If the pupil writes his answers according to the form 
of the questions, he will have a composition on the orange 
worded as follows: 

The shape of an orange is round. Its color is yellow. It tastes 
sweet. I buy it at the store. I like oranges because they are sweet. 

The Cow. — Where have you seen a cow? What does she give? 
What does she eat? What do we get from her milk? What do 
we call her children? 

My Doll. — What is your doll's name? Of what color are its 
eyes? Of what color is its hair? Is it a large or a small doll? 
Who made its dress? Who bought it for you? Why do you like 
your doll? 

My Knife. — How many parts has a knife? For what do you 
use a knife ? For what else do you use it ? Have you one ? Where 
did you get it? Is it large or small? Why should you be careful 
in using your knife? 

Myself. — What is your name ? How old are you ? In what room 
are you at school? What do you learn at school? What have you 
in your desk? What have you on your desk? Have you any 
brothers? Have you any sisters? Are they at school? 

A Ball. — How many balls have you had? What is the shape 
of a ball? Name one thing you can do with a ball. Name another. 
Do girls like to play ball? What would they rather do? 



50 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Paper. — What is the color of paper ? Is it hard or soft? With 
what sort of pencil' do you write on your paper? What kind of 
marks does it make? What do you write on your paper? 

My Mamma. — What is your mamma's name? How many chil- 
dren has she? What is the color of her hair? What kind of eyes 
has she? Does your mamma look old to you? What does she 
do for you? 

A Walk. — When did you take a walk? Who went with you? 
Where did you go? Name two things you saw. Name two sounds 
you heard. When did you get back? What kind of day was it? 

Leather. — Where do we get leather? Is it hard or soft? Is it 
easily torn? For what do we use it? Name two things that are 
made partly of leather. Why do we use it for making shoes? 

Shoes. — How many shoes have you on at one time? Do you 
know a boy who wears only one shoe? When do you like to go 
without shoes? What do you call them when you do not wish 
to say "two shoes"? Of what are they made? How are they 
fastened? When shoes have holes in them, what do we do? When 
we wear them out at the bottom, what do we have done? 

Occupations 

56. There should be no attempt in this grade to write 
on such subjects, for the reason that many of the words 
the pupils would be obliged to use are not to be found in 
their written vocabulary. They may, however, discuss 
them orally. 

1. Name and discuss five things the farmer does. 

2. Name and discuss three things the teacher does. 

3. Name and discuss six things your mother does. 

4. Name and discuss two things your father does. 

5. Name and discuss three things the miner devs. 

6. Name two things the preacher does. 

7. Discuss three things the gardener does. 

8. Tell all the things you think the soldier does. 

9. Tell what the conductor, the niotorman, the fireman, does. 



THE SECOND GRADE 51 

If desired, each, of these topics may be taken up at 
length as soon as the pupils are able to express themselves. 
"What my papa does" should bring an abundant response. 
Other topics in which they have especial interest will be 
equally valuable in causing them to talk freely. 

Developing Direct Address 

57. Children, here is a sentence I have just written: "Tom, 
where is your book?" What kind of sentence is it? 
It is an asking sentence. 

Yes. To whom was I talking when I used those words? 
You were talking to Tom. 

That is right. Now, tell me, Sarah, what mark do you see after 
Tom? 

I see a comma after Tom. 

Here is another sentence: "May where is Willie" You will 
notice that there are no marks in this sentence. What shall we 
place after May? 

We shall place a comma after May. 

Why, Stella? 

Because we are talking to May. 

What shall Ave place at the end of the sentence, William? 

We shall place a question mark at the end of the sentence. 

Why, children? 

Because it is an asking sentence. 

It may be further developed that, when the name of the 
person addressed is placed at the end of a sentence, it is 
preceded by a comma, and that, when it is written near the 
beginning or in the middle of sentences second grade 
pupils are likely to meet, it is both preceded and followed 
bj r a comma. It is not so necessary to state rules to these 
pupils as it is to have them observe that such and such 
things are done under certain conditions. They should 



52 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

frequently be called upon to form sentences in which the 
comma of address is to be used, as well as to punctuate 
those which have been placed on the board by the teacher. 
For example : 

Mary, have you a doll 1 ? 

Have you a doll, Mary 1 ? 

Come, Mary, let us go home. 

Have you a sister, Stella ? 

Let us run down to the spring, Sarah, and get a drink. 

Model for Punctuating Sentences 

58. A sentence has been placed on the blackboard with 
no marks, as : 

Tom where is my top 

A pupil, called upon for the purpose, says: 

I think this is an asking sentence; so I place a question mark 
at the end. We are talking to Tom; so I place a comma after 
Tom. 

It will be found profitable to furnish a model for the 
children to follow, for the best results are seldom obtained 
by haphazard methods. The teacher may have a better 
method than the one given above; if so, she should by all 
means employ it. System in school work is not every- 
thing, but the systematic teacher has much the best of the 
argument, other things being equal. 

59. So far, attention has not been called to literary 
gems, nor have any been inserted in this part of the book, 
for two reasons: a list is given in Chapter IX which is 
fairly complete; and the teacher will probably find many 
other sources from which to make suitable selections. In 
general, it may be remarked that in this grade only such 



. THE SECOND GRADE 53 

poetry should be memorized as possesses attractiveness 
of rhythm or appeals strongly to the child mind. Mother 
Goose rhymes should have their place, but it will soon be 
found that the pupils are able to digest much more sensible 
pabulum, and will actually expect it. What is said of 
literature applies equally to music ; care should be taken to 
select such songs as have both attractiveness and merit. 
And, more than anything else, strict attention should 
be paid to the quality of the singing. Thousands of 
voices are being ruined in the average public schools sim- 
ply because teachers are ignorant of the principles which 
govern the correct use of voice and breath. If they were 
to suppress shouting and cultivate at all times the soft 
tones which tend to make vocal music thoroughly enjoy- 
able, they could not possibly go far wrong. The teacher of 
the day school or the director of the Sunday School who 
is constantly saying "louder" should be speedily sent 
about his business. 

Oral Composition 

Conversations 

60. Conversations should consist of questions put by 
the teacher and answered by members of the class ; or of 
questions asked by members of the class and answered by 
other members or by the' teacher. Some of the subjects 
discussed may be : 

1. Behavior at home, in school, at church, and on the 
street. The pupils have been through all such experiences, 
and will be glad to tell what is required of them in each 
of these particular situations. 

2. Important persons they I- now. Of course the police- 
man, the postman, the doctor, the iceman, even the garbage 



54 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

man, will come within this category. Pupils will take 
pleasure in describing the personal characteristics of these 
people, as well as the things they say and do. Incidents 
in which these various individuals have figured will inter- 
est all — narrators and auditors alike. 

3. Conduct at the table. Here the teacher will find 
certain of her pupils well informed as to table etiquette, 
and they will assist in disseminating correct information. 
This can be made more realistic by dramatization, provided 
certain simple paraphernalia can be procured for the pur- 
pose. At any rate, she should be allowed the opportunity 
of giving definite instruction in this important matter. 

4. The use of polite and courteous forms. These will 
include greetings and farewells suited to the time of day 
in which they are extended, and such expressions as Thank 
you. Please excuse me, Pardon me, May I be excused from 
the room? In this connection the child should be taught 
that he is not to use Hello as a salutation. Teachers find 
it very difficult to eradicate this inelegant term, on account 
of its prevalence among young and old. 

Reproductions 
Reproductions should be more dignified in character 
than conversations, and the child should feel that he is to do 
something out of the ordinary when he is called upon to 
engage in an exercise of this kind. It will be made more 
effective if he is invited to the front of the room where 
he can be seen and heard by every one. Since the story 
itself has the quality of continuity, there will be no diffi- 
culty in the way other than the requisite perfection of 
memory. Pupils of this grade will not depart materially 
from the text in their choice of words. If they do so intel- 
ligently, all the better. 



THE SECOND GKADE 55 

In addition to the list of stories to be found in the first 
grade work, several are appended here, for the sake of 
variety : 

The Lark and Her Young Ones. Boston Collection of Kinder- 
garten Stories 

The Goose and the Golden Egg. Scudder: Fables and Folk 
Stories 

The Ugly Duckling. McMurry : Classic Stories 
The Cat, the Monkey, and the Chestnuts. Scudder:. Fables and 
Folk Stories 

The Country Mouse and the Town Mouse. Scudder: Fables 
and Folk Stories 

The Street Musicians. McMurry: Classic Stories 
The Straw, the Coal, and the Bean. McMurry : Classic Stories 
Three Billy Goats Gruff. Baldwin: Fairy Stories and Fables 
The Three Bears. Scudder: Children's Book 

To these may be added stories of famous men, particu- 
larly those of our own country. 



Days of the Week 

61. There are days in a week. 

The first day is . 

The first school day is . 

The last school day is . 

The last day of the week is . 

We do not go to school either on or on . 

We play on ■ — — , and we go to church on . 

In writing the names of the days of the week we begin 
them with capital letters. Copy the following sentence, 
placing the omitted vfords where they belong : 



The days of the week are 

, . and . 



56 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Names of the Months — Abbreviations 

62. The first month is January. We may write it Jan. when 
we do not wish to write the word itself. 

The second month is February. We may write it Feb. 

The third month is March. 

The fourth month is April. 

The fifth month is May. 

The sixth month is June. 

The seventh month is July. 

The eighth month is August. We may write it Aug. 

The ninth month is September. We may write it Sept. 

The tenth month is October. We may write it Oct. 

The eleventh month is November. We may write it Nov. 

The twelfth month is December. We may write it Dec. 

These short forms are called abbreviations. You notice 
that a period is placed after each one. When you spell 
an abbreviation, you are to mention the period as well as 
each of the letters, thus: Capital J-a-n-period; capital F-e-b- 
period, etc. 

Exercises 

Why do we not need an abbreviation for March. April, 1 May. 
June, or July? 
In which month were you born ? Can you write its abbreviation ? 

Complete the following sentences : 

I was born on the th day of . 

Mary was on the th of . 

Memorial Day comes on the th of . 

Roses come in . 

Halloween comes in . 

School starts in . 

Independence Day is on the th of . 

The th of is St. Valentine's Day. 

Christmas comes in . 

1 Letter writers frequently use Mar. or Mch. for March, and Apr, for 
April, but such forms are not sanctioned by the press. 



THE SECOND GRADE 57 

Thanksgiving Day comes in . 

The new year begins with . 

Some Other Abbreviations 

63. When we write a man's name we usually place 
Mr. before it. We read this abbreviation Mister. When 
we write the name of a married woman we place Mrs. before 
it. We read it Misses. The person who comes to cure us 
when we are ill is called a doctor, and we use the abbrevi- 
ation Dr. when we write his name. If we do not wish to 
write all of the word street, we may use St., but this is 
to be done only on envelopes and in the headings of letters. 
We should write the whole word in our compositions. 
Now let us see if you are able to use the proper abbrevia- 
tions in the following sentences : 

My father's name is ■ — . 

My mother 's name is . 

When I was ill, cured me. 

John Smith, 144 Grant . 



Composition 

The Horse 

64. The appended statements are to be completed on 
paper after there has been a general discussion of the 
physical features and domestic qualities of this animal. 
The pupils may be encouraged to add a sentence or two 
by way of describing the horse they know. 

The Horse. — A horse has feet. He wears shoes, and they 

are made of . In summer he eats , , and . and 

in the winter he eats -— — , , and . He is very , 

and he can cany people on his . lie hauls heavy loads in 

. He lives in a . I know a horse whose name is . 



58 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Blackboard Composition 

65. As used here, this term implies a contribution of 
sentences on the same subject by a number of individual 
pupils. In case these sentences suggested are not in logical 
order, the teacher may write in another place those which 
do not fit in well at the time they are given, and thus reserve 
them for future use. The others are written in the space 
intended for the composition. The process of selecting 
sentences so as to make the story naturally continuous may 
be beyond the understanding of the average second grade 
pupil, but it is certain that some of the children will be able 
to tell which of two or more sentences should be written 
first ; and that, of course, constitutes of itself a knowledge 
of orderly arrangement. The following exercise will serve 
as an example : 

Children, we are going to write about the hen today. May, can 
you tell me something' about her? 
A hen has two wings. 

Now, Jack, it is your turn. 

She has a tail made of feathers. 

I have written those two sentences. Nellie, what have you 
to say 1 ? 

She lays an egg almost every day. 

That is a very good sentence, Nellie, but I do not think we have 
told enough about the hen herself yet. We must finish describ- 
ing her before we tell about the eggs; so I shall write your 
sentence over here. We shall not forget it when the proper 
time comes. 

A child ought to understand the principle involved in 
finishing one thing before going to another, and he should 
be taught that such a principle applies to description as 
much as to anything else, 



THE SECOND GRADE 59 

Blackboard Signs 

66. As soon as the pupil has acquired a written vocabu- 
lary of sufficient scope to express simple thoughts, he may 
be required to place given words in sentences without spe- 
cific directions, particularly when the teacher is occupied 
with another class. Thus: 

hear (.) no (.) new (?) to (.) Tom (?) is (?) 

here (.) know (1) knew (.) two(f) snow(?) are (.) 

When the pupil sees the word hear with a period after 
it, he understands that he is to write a telling sentence con- 
taining hear; and when he sees two followed by a question 
mark, he knows he is to place that word in an asking sen- 
tence. This exercise is peculiarly adapted to drill in 
homonyms, but it can be used, of course, with any desired 
words. It also has a certain disciplinary influence, which 
consists in having the pupil obey a written or an implied 
command. Accustomed heretofore to oral dictation, he 
suddenly discovers that there is another way of being told 
to do a thing. This is the same call to obedience expressed 
in a different manner, and it gives him a pleasurable sen- 
sation of power to know that he is able to recognize either 
or both calls and to act accordingly. 

Festival Occasions 

Halloween 

67. Previous to this time the second grade pupil has 
learned to write only a few words which he can combine 
with any marked degree of intelligence ; and if he attempts 
written composition of any length, he will meet with per- 
plexing situations. It is advisable, therefore, to have 
the festivities of this occasion described conversationally, 



60 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

although many of the difficult words may be placed on the 
blackboard so that he may learn to recognize them by form 
as well as by sound. In the list are Halloween, the 
inevitable pumpkin, the names of the games he plays and 
of the sweetmeats that are prepared for his delectation. 

Thanksgiving Day 

This should be largely oral; but, as the pupils are now 
capable of doing more written work than they did during 
the preceding month, they will be able, with the help given 
them by an enthusiastic teacher, to form many short but 
expressive sentences relating to this season of thankfulness. 
Just how far both oral and written exercises are to be pur- 
sued will depend upon the wishes of the teacher and the 
abilities of the children, but it is better to err on the side 
of scantiness if an error is to be made at all. The black- 
board composition may serve as a compromise. In this 
they will see the results of their expressed thoughts brought 
to view as by magic — they commanded it to be done, and 
it was done. Under the heading of "History and Geog- 
raphy," research may be made into the origin of Thanks- 
giving Day and into the lives of the persons connected with 
it ; but that is the business largely of history and geography. 
Language has to do only with the manner and the quality 
of the expression involved. 

blue blew 

68. Teach the correct application of these homonyms, 
as illustrated in the following sentences: 

The sky is . 

The wind my hat off. 



THE SECOND GRADE 61 

Name five things that are blue, and use each of the names in a 
sentence, thus : 

My dress is blue. 
Can you name three things that blew? Place each of the names 
in a sentence, thus : 

The whistle blew at seven o 'clock this morning. 

Review 

69. Fill blanks in the following sentences with words 
that will make good sense : 

The children their lessons. 

They them yesterday. 

This is a top. I have just bought it. 

I can the engine whistle. 

is James now. 

I must my lesson neatly. 

Samuel did not do when he hit his little brother. 

the baby asleep 1 ? 

the kittens awake? 

Tom a new kite? 

the boys had recess? 

I do not this boy. 

That poor man has money. 

Composition 

I Am a Dog 

70. Children, we are going to play a game today. The name of 
this game is "I Am a Dog." You are to imagine that you are 
a dog, and then you are to tell me about yourself. After a while 
we shall write what you say. Who will begin ? 

I have a head. 
All right, Samuel. Now, Mary. 

I have a tail. 
That is good; but can we not unite these two sentences into one? 
Will you try, Jack? • 

I have a head and a tail. 



62 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Fine! Suppose we write that sentence before we do anything 
else. Now that you have finished, who can tell me more about 
this game? 

I have two eyes. 

Very well, Grace. Now, Jennie. 
I have two ears. 

Joe, can you put these two sentences together? 
I have two eyes and two ears. 

That is correct. We shall write what Joe has said ; but be 
careful how you spell two. What can you say next? 
I have four paws. 

By the way, Richard, what can you do with your paws? 
I can dig with them. 

You may write these two sentences. What is next? 
My name is Jack. 

Splendid ! All may write that. Who will be next?- You, Harry? 
I wag my tail when I am glad. 

Excellent! Now write that sentence. Let us have one more, 
Julia. 

I bark at night to keep bad people away. 

That's a pretty hard sentence. Julia, but I think we can manage 
it. Now, children, we shall be through with our game when some 
one who has done very good writing has read the whole story for 
us. Samuel, your paper looks nice ; read what you have. 

I Am a Dog 

I have a head and a tail. I have two eyes and two ears. I 
have four paws. I can dig with them. My name is Jack. I wag 
my tail when I am glad. I bark at night to keep bad people away. 

This method of teaching composition has a number of 
advantages. It enables the teacher to know exactly what 
her pupils are doing and to keep track of their spelling 
and punctuation. It provides for a certain amount of 
originality, for they are encouraged to suggest the sen- 



THE SECOND GRADE 63 

tences to be written. Even if some of them do not take 
part in the discussion and are not able to form acceptable 
sentences, the mere copying of what others have said may 
lead later to an expression of their own thoughts. 

Want of space forbids further exemplification. The same 
plan may be followed in describing such animals as the cat, 
the horse, the cow, the rabbit, the hen, the mouse, the rat; 
and such objects as a dime, a kite, a knife, an orange, a 
lump of coal, a shoe. Do not attempt the "game" too 
often. Good judgment should determine when it ceases 
to be a game. 

A Letter to Santa Claus 

71. By the time the holidays are within sight, the chil- 
dren will be wildly anxious about Christmas, and they will 
be delighted to put their wishes and expectations on paper. 
Here, again, the supervisory work of the teacher comes into 
play. Of course all the little correspondents will desire 
to make as good an impression on their mythical benefactor 
as they possibly can, and they will be glad to avail them- 
selves of the services of their instructor. Even in the first 
grade there will be some who can tell their patron saint 
what they want from him when he makes his appearance ; 
and no trouble will be experienced in obtaining expressions 
of thought from those of the second year; the main diffi- 
culty will consist in culling from the wealth of material 
a sufficient amount to tell what the pupil is eager to have 
told and yet remain within proper bounds. 

A few judicious questions will direct him, and the cor- 
rected and copied product may be hung up in the school- 
room or taken home for inspection by the parents. Remem- 
ber that the question method is valuable for these reasons: 



64 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

it has a directive effect in the formation of sentences and 
it brings about continuity of thought, two qualities of com- 
position sadly lacking even among children who are old 
enough to have long since discarded the Christmas myth. 
Perhaps of all seasons of the year this is most delightful 
to the child, and full advantage of that fact should be 
taken to bring forth his thoughts in abundance. When 
he shall have been able to understand and appreciate the 
pleasure of giving as well as of receiving, his letter should 
be directed toward asking gifts for those who have not 
been so fortunate as he. 

Christmas Notes 

72. Between schoolmates these may take the place of 
gifts, and should contain some pretty sentiment, original 
or otherwise. They may be inclosed in envelopes, which 
should be addressed properly and sent through the medium 
of a letter box kept by the teacher. 

Valentine Notes 

73. It is encouraging and gratifying to note that 
through the influence of the public schools the ugly comic 
valentine is rapidly becoming offensive to public taste. 
Pupils are being taught that it is a thousandfold better 
to send a schoolmate something which will cause him pleas- 
ure than to give him that which will call forth feelings 
of anger and resentment, to say nothing of the harm 
done the artistic side of his nature. Expressions of friend- 
ship and good will should be cultivated at this season, and 
the efforts of the little people often result in surprisingly 
delightful compositions. A pupil in the first grade of 
one of our public schools once wrote the following rather 



THE SECOND GRADE 65 

sentimental valentine to his ladylove : ' ' You are the bright- 
est star in all the world to me." While such productions 
are exceptional, they are not at all impossible. At any 
rate, the custom of writing and sending valentines gives 
to every pupil, bright or dull, the opportunity of showing 
what lies within the realm of his thoughts and emotions. 
These may be sent in the same manner as Christmas notes, 
decorated as the writer chooses and accompanied by valen- 
tine cards. 

Additional Occasions 

Moving Day 

74. By this time the pupil's stock of written words has 
increased so greatly that it can be applied to more extensive 
undertakings; therefore we need not wonder if he is able 
to describe with some degree of freedom and detail many 
of the pleasures and disasters connected with a change of 
residence. If necessary, the teacher may place on the 
board a list of words related to the occasion, among them 
house, horse, wagon, cellar, parlor, kitchen, load, furniture, 
mattress, picture, bureau. It may be better to do this than 
to write or spell words as the pupils call for them, for when 
they experience the pleasure of having one question an- 
swered, they often contract a fever for asking many others ; 
and the fever is usually contagious. An oral discussion 
should precede the written exercise. If the class as a 
whole is not sufficiently advanced to write independently, 
the blackboard composition should be tried. 

Memorial Day 

Employ the blackboard composition. Pupils are likely 
not to find the subject so attractive as that of moving day. 
Of course, their thoughts will be of a more elevated char- 



66 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

acter, but that will be a hindrance rather than a help to 
freedom of expression. If there are to be general exercises 
of a patriotic order in the school on or prior to Memorial 
Day, the writing of the composition should precede them. 
Some descriptions fall flat because they are attempted after 
the event has occurred. The novelty attending the affair 
no longer exists, and interest therefore ceases. This asser- 
tion is not to be considered a sweeping one, for in numerous 
instances previous description is impossible. The discrimi- 
nating teacher will know what to do in these cases. 

Memorable Birthdays 

Such are those of favorite poets and famous men. For 
the second grade it is sufficient to mention that of Long- 
fellow, of Lincoln, and of Washington, and for obvious 
reasons the celebration in every case will be brief and 
simple. Since practically all information furnished will 
be derived from sources outside the pupil's knowledge, the 
work will naturally come under the head of ''Reproduc- 
tion." He will not have many definite thoughts of his 
own to express, except as a matter of belief in what his 
teacher has told him or has read to him ; but, since he will 
be obliged to use more or less of his own stock of words 
in reproducing the story, the exercise is mentioned in this 
connection. Use the blackboard, giving the best pupils in 
the class the privilege of placing their own sentences where 
they belong in the composition. 

Contractions 

75. The second grade pupil uses a great many contrac- 
tions in his conversation, but there will be little call for 
them in his written work. He should of course be made 



THE SECOND GRADE 67 

familiar with their formation and correct spelling, and 
with that purpose in view the following method is pre- 
sented : 

Instead of saying ".I am here," what shorter form of this 
sentence can I use? 

You can use "I'm here." 

Very well. I shall write these two sentences so that you may 
observe the difference between them. What have I omitted in the 
second sentence 1 ? 

You have omitted the letter a. 

Did I use anything in its place? 
You used the apostrophe. 

When you spell I'm, do not forget to name the apostrophe, 
thus : Capital I-apostrophe-m. 

Here is another sentence: "I will go with you." Say it in a 
different way. 

I'll go with you. 

I have written your sentence on the board. Instead of saying 
"I will," you said what? 
I said "I'll." 

What letters did you leave out 1 ? 
I left out w and i. 

What did you use in place of them?. 
I used the apostrophe. 

Spell I'll. 

Capital I-apostrophe-l-l. 

Let us see what changes of this kind we can make in each of 
the sentences I am about to write for you : 

He is not well today. 

Boys do not like to play jacks. 

Stella does not wish to be disturbed. 

Tom cannot find his hat. 

She is a good speller. 

We will try to find the ball. 



68 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Subjects for Composition 

76. A few of these topics may serve for written com- 
positions, but it will probably be found that oral treat- 
ment is to be preferred for the most part. The use of 
special devices in this kind of work will add much to the 
enjoyment of the pupils. 

The Baby Bird. What it comes from — the size of eggs, 
varying from the humming bird's to those of the ostrich — 
how the baby bird is fed. 

The Hen. If possible, supply pupils with cut-out pic- 
tures of the hen. Require them to tell something about 
this fowl — about the hatching of the eggs — about the food 
that is given to chickens — about the other food they eat, 
and how they obtain it. 

A Story of a Pet Hen. 

A Story of the Bees. The pupil should name the differ- 
ent kinds of bees in each hive, and tell what each does. 

Tray. The story of a greedy dog who took a bone from 
a little dog and started home with it. In crossing a stream 
he saw his shadow in the water, and thought it was another 
dog. He made a snap at it and dropped the bone. If 
thought best, the question method of developing this subject 
may be used. 

A Story of a Kitten. 

Wool. The story of how the fleece on the sheep's back 
becomes the clothes on our backs. 

A Story of a Pet Dog. 

How I Pleased My Mother. The description of an act 
of service that afforded pleasure to the parent. 

The New Tear. Among the young there is always a joy- 
ful feeling attending the arrival of a new year. To those 



THE SECOND GRADE 69 

of us who are much farther on in life comes the question 
why tills should be true; but it is true; and here is the 
opportunity to impress lessons of importance upon the 
child mind through the medium of composition. The pupil 
should be taught — and through the teaching he may be 
enabled to express the axiom — that time is hurrying him 
into scenes of higher activities and duties; that the New 
Year is a period when every person should ' ' take stock ' ' of 
his present opportunities and make resolutions for the 
future; that the joy of doing should include doing for 
others as well as for himself. Of necessity much of this 
will be oral, but out of it all will come expressions which 
the child can place on paper. 

The Description of a Picture. This may be oral or writ- 
ten, but in either case teach the pupil that it sounds 
monotonous to begin each sentence with I see. It will be a 
good plan to forbid its use entirely on certain occasions. 

Mind Pictures. Now, little people, close your eyes tight. 
I am going to paint a picture that the eyes in your mind 
can see ; then I want you to paint it over for me. Your 
brushes will be words, and I know you will do well. 

"There's a merry brown thrush sitting' up in a tree, 
He 's singing to me. ' ' 

"Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound." 

"And ere the early bedtime came 
The white drifts piled the window-frame, 
And through the glass the clothes-line posts 
Looked in like tall and sheeted ghosts." 

There are many such bits which may be used, and very 
soon the little artists will be able to tell what they see, 
enjoying every phase of the pleasant work. 



70 



LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 



What Tom Saw at the Circus 

How to Make a Kite 

What I Saw on My Way to 

School 
A Talk on Rain 
A Walk in the Woods 
Description of the Cow 
A Visit to the Farm 
What I Do on Saturdays 
An Errand 
An Indian Wigwam 
A Study of the Apple 
Going to the Woods 
A Study of the Golden-rod 
Sunrise and Sunset 
What the Sun Does 
Hiawatha's Pets 



Winter 

My Playhouse 

A Fruit I Like 

What Spring Brings 

The Dandelion 

Rohinson Crusoe's Pets 

Jack Frost as a Painter 

What the Robin Told Me 

Hiawatha and Nokomis 

The Golden Rule 

Our Hands 

The Study of a Butterfly 

A Fish (with cut-out picture) 

The Blacksmith 

Coverings of Animals 

A Study of the Fly 

My Baby Sister 



CHAPTER III 

THE THIRD GRADE 

Outline of Work 

77. 1. Review of preceding work, with especial atten- 
tion to what the pupil needs in his daily 
exercises 

2. The contractions I'm, I'll, I've, we're, we've, 

we'll, you're, you'll, you've, it's, he's, she's, 
doesn't, don't 

3. Abbreviations : Mr., Mrs., Dr., St., Ave., Jan., 

Feb., etc. ; in., ft., yd., pt., qt., bu., etc. 

4. Capital letters 

5. Homonyms 

6. Synonyms 

7. The pronouns I, he, she, we, they 

8. Plurals : the general principles which apply 

to the formation of regular plurals; some of 
the common irregular plural forms, as mouse, 
mice; leaf, leaves; knife, knives; shelf, shelves 

9. The correction of faulty language expression 

10. Possessives : the most simple forms, particularly 

of the singular number 

11. The apostrophe in contractions and in words 

denoting possession 

12. Quotation marks 

13. Letter writing, including the preparation of 

the envelope 

14. Reproduction 16. The diary 

15. Dramatization 17. Study of poems 

71 



72 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

78. Much of what has been said in the preceding chap- 
ter regarding language exercises and composition work 
is just as applicable to the third grade. Indeed, for many 
years, if not throughout the common school course, chil- 
dren will continually find difficulty with the simplest 
language forms. Only daily drill can bring about a famil- 
iarity that means final, permanent adoption. But the time 
has come when the learner will be expected to be more 
ambitious in his sentence building. He has been con- 
stantly making the acquaintance of new words, and these 
are to be used in the expression of his growing thoughts. 
His intelligence is becoming deeper and finer, and he will 
bring it into play upon new combinations. Phrases will 
creep in ; his sentences will include the compound and even 
the complex. He should be encouraged and trained along 
this line, although never beyond what he can do with 
understanding. Oral discussion should precede the written 
work, as has already been suggested, and it will be well to 
remember that this department of language teaching is not 
often overdone. Generally speaking, pupils write too much 
and talk too little. Discuss broadly so that they may have 
abundant material from which to choose. 



A Poem for Study 

Two Little Roses 

79. One merry summer day 

Two roses were at play ; 
All at once they took a notion 
They would like to run away ! 
Queer little roses, 
Funny little roses, 
To want to run away ! 



THE THIRD GRADE 73 

They stole along my fence ; 

They clambered up my wall ; . 

They climbed into my window 

To make a morning call ! 

Queer little roses, 

Funny little roses, 

To make a morning call ! 

— Julia P. Ballard. 

The pupils will readily appreciate the quaint humor 
and conceit of this selection. After learning it, they may 
be required to write answers to such questions as the 
following : 

When were the roses at play 1 
"What notion did they take? 
Where did they go first ? 
Why did they "steal along"? 
Where did they next go ? 
And then where"? 
Why did they do this? 

There are scores of poetical gems that may be used in 
this grade, and the teacher will do well to look the ground 
over very carefully. Only those that are likely to prove 
of real interest to the child should be chosen. The move- 
ment and the rhythm should be of a lively character, for 
poems of that kind are learned almost at sight. 

Technical Terms 

80. I am thinking about something. Can you tell me what it 
is? No. Why? Because I have not yet used any words to tell 
you my thought. I saw an airship yesterday. Now do you know 
what I was thinking about? How? From hearing my words. 
They told you my thought. It sometimes takes but one word to 
do that, but oftener it takes more. The word or words which 



74 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

state or tell a thought are called a sentence. If they merely tell 
what you are thinking about, they are called a declarative sentence. 
If they ask a question, they form an interrogative sentence. Here- 
after, then, you will call them by their grown up names. That is, 
instead of saying, "This is a telling sentence," you will say, 
"This is a declarative sentence"; and instead of saying, "This 
is an asking sentence," you will say, "This is an interrogative 
sentence." Besides, you have been calling this mark (?) a 
question mark. For the future you will call it an interrogation 
point. 

Exercises 

Which of the following sentences are declarative? Which are 
interrogative? What name do you give the mark that follows a 
declarative sentence? What do you call the mark that follows 
an interrogative sentence? 

Mary has a beautiful new dress 

Do you know when the postman passes this box 

In which of these houses does Julia Thorpe live 

It has become so dark that I cannot read any longer 

I do not know where I have laid my book 

These toys are made of what 

" It is I " is a declarative sentence 



The Imperative Sentence 

81. Here is a kind of sentence that is used very often in talking 
to children. Your teacher, you think, is always telling you to do 
a certain thing, or not to do some other thing; and* very often 
you feel that your mother is just as hard on you as is your teacher. 
The sentences they employ are called imperative sentences because 
they are used to command or request. Select from the following 
list those that command; those that request. 

Fred, please close the door. 

Hand me my hat, John. 

Come here, Mary, and tell me what you have been doing. 

Be so kind as to pass me the butter. 



THE THIRD GRADE 75 

Here are the skeletons of twelve imperative sentences; com- 
plete them. 

studious. your nails. 

the table. quietly. 

your fan. your meals slowly. 

your hair. not tardy. 

to your lessons. every one kindly. 

to your room. me a letter as soon as you can. 

Select imperative sentences from your reader. 

There are persons whom it is not proper for you to command. 
In such cases you make a request or an entreaty. Make a series 
of the names of those you should request, and place it in a 
sentence. Construct a sentence in which you make an entreaty. 

The "I Like" Game 

82. This composition device serves to introduce the 
complex sentence; at the same time it gives the pupil an 
opportunity to express what he likes and to say why he 
likes it. Some of the words he will need to use may not be 
familiar to him, but they will be learned readily while he 
is interested. The novelty of this feature of composition 
work may soon wear off, but by that time it will perhaps 
have served its purpose. 

Tell me something you like and why you like it. 

I like candy because it is sweet. 

I like oranges because they are juicy. 

I like kittens because I can play with them. 

I like Mary because she is kind to me. 

I like books because they contain nice pictures. 

I like flowers because they are beautiful. 

I like to play ball because it is a fine game. 

Require the pupils to tell why they like or love the fol- 
lowing: a tree; father; Santa Claus; a doll; a knife; a 
favorite playmate; the postman. 



76 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Development of the Phrase 

83. Each of you may write a sentence telling where John 
walked. 

John walked in the park. 
John walked to school. 
John walked in the woods. 
John walked around the square. 

Ask the pupils to write a sentence telling where the bird 
flew; where John threw the ball; where mamma put the 
baby; where father went this morning; where the mouse 
ran ; where the mouse was caught ; where the bird builds 
its nest; where the hen lays her eggs. 

The phrase, as a very important constituent of the sen- 
tence, deserves careful study in both reading and language 
work. The pupil may be taught to use the term itself 
understandingly. The following sentences should be com- 
pleted by the insertion of phrases that make good sense : 

I found this book . 

The young people took a walk . 

The handle is broken. 

The price is twenty-five cents a yard. 

A peck costs fifty cents. 

Mary purchased a ring . 

Mrs. Holder laid her bracelet . 

The sun sets . 

"Jumble Sentences" 

84. There is a certain value in having pupils form a 
sentence from a number of words written in irregular order. 
It is, however, a test in ingenuity rather than in thought 
training. A few examples are appended, and others may 
be added if the exercise is found to be a useful one. 



THE THIRD GRADE 77 

Pencil, the, desk, on, liei; ihe 
Sister, for, your, Charles, wait 
Pleasant, Sarah, have, a, you, did, walk 
Marbles, cent, I, give, two, for, will, you, a 

threw through 

85. John a snowball today. 

He it at a man. 

It missed the man and went a window. 

Samuel a piece of paper into the fire. 

We walked the park. 

The rat ate the floor. 



buy by 

86. Papa, please me a pencil. 

He stood the side of the road. 

I cannot any candy, because I have no money 

studying hard you will learn fast. 

We potatoes the bushel. 



sent cent 

87. Mamma me to the store for tomatoes. 

The paper costs one . 

John was to school in time, but he was tardy. 

I will give you a for two marbles. 

The teacher Harry home for an excuse. 

did has done have done had done was done 

88. Here are some words, children, that may give you trouble ; 
but remember that did is a strong word, and therefore needs no 
other word to help it tell what it wishes to tell. Done is a weak 
word, and when we use it in a sentence we must station a helper 
beside it. These helpers are has, have, had, was. Now let us see 



73 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

if you can place the right word ii:,ti>ese sentences, remembering 
that did needs no helper, and that done always does : 

Tom his work well. 

The work was early this morning. 

I this piece of work after I had the other. 

How did you do this, Will? 

I it easily. 

After their task was , the boys went out to play. 

went has gone have gone had gone 

89. Went needs no helper, but gone does. Its helpers are has, 
have, and had. See what you can do with these sentences : 

John to school at eight o 'clock. 

Mary has to the store. 

George had before she started. 

William and Mary have to the park. 

They yesterday. 

Has Mrs. Stone to market"? 

came has come have come had come 

90. Came is a strong word; it needs no kelpei\ Come does, 
and its helpers are has, have, did, and had. Let us try to use these 
helpers in the right place : 

The children from school at four o 'clock. 

Mary has with Blanche. 

Tom did not home for his supper. 

The boys have just in. 

He had not when I left the house. 

Words for Review 

91. knew saw no here their write sent 
new seen know hear there right cent 

was is by blue won threw 

were are buy blew one through 



THE THIRD GRADE 79 

Contractions 

92. Since contractions are of frequent occurrence in 
the readers, the pupils will of course be familiar with them ; 
aud, although in composition of a dignified character they 
are somewhat out of place, they are habitually employed 
in conversation; hence it will be well to have them used 
in sentences. Among the most common contractions are 
the following : 



don't 


I'm 


he's 


I'll 


she'll 


wouldn 't 


can't 


you 're 


she's 


you'll 


it'll 


couldn 't 


isn't 


they 're 


it's 


he'll 


we'll 


shouldn 't 



Series 

93. Children, tell me two things you know about the orange. 
It is round and yellow. 

That is right. Now tell me three things about it. 
It is round and yellow and sweet. 

The word and is used twice in your sentence, and that is more 

times than is necessary. Let us take the first one away and place 

a comma in its stead. When we do that we must also place a 

comma before the last and. Let us see how the sentence looks now. 

It is round, yellow, and sweet. 

Who can tell me three things about an apple ? 

An apple is soft and red and juicy. 
Good; perhaps Jack can tell me what to do with this sentence. 
Look at the other before you speak. 

I'll rub out the first and and put a comma in its place. 
Well, you have done that. What is next? 

I will place a comma before the last and. 

Jack has answered correctly. Now, look around the room for 
three objects you can see, and place their names in a sentence, 
doing exactly as you did before. Who are ready? May, Willie, 
and Julia may read their sentences in turn. 



80 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

I see a cap, a coat, and a handkerchief. 

I see an apple, a pencil, and a desk. 

I see a book, a vase, and a window stick. 

These are just what I wanted. Now, I wish you to write in a 
sentence the names of three things you like, leaving out the 
first and and placing the commas where they belong. This time, 
Joe, Samuel, and William may read their sentences. 

I like apples, peaches, and candy. 
I like honey, grapes, and cake. 
I like books, school, and dogs. 



Review of Homonyms 

94. Their teacher is standing over there. 

Come to me. Are they too big 1 ? May I go, too? 

The two boys were too sick to come today. 

The wind blew the blue kite into the tree. 

Did you hear me tell you to come here? 

I have a new coat. I knew she was sick. 

I did not know that she had no pencil. 

Observe that the word too has two significations. When 
it means also, a comma is used to separate it from the pre- 
ceding word. The mark following it will depend upon the 
position of too in the sentence. 



The Apostrophe 

95. Here is a book. Do you know whose book it is, Tom? 
It is John 's book. 

You must learn how to write such words as John's. We 
place a small mark, called an apostrophe, between the n and the 
s to show ivhose book it is. I am going to try to find out whether 
or not you understand what I have told you. Here are three 
words, May, Sarah, and Tom. Do the same with them as I did 
with the woi'd John. I am sure you will succeed. I notice that 



THE THIRD GRADE 81 

almost every one has done the work correctly. "We shall next 
place these words in sentences. Read yours, Joe. 
May's hat is on the hook. 

How did you write May's? 

Capital M-a-y-apostrophe-s. 

Why did you add apostrophes? 
I did it to show ivhose hat it is. 

I am going to write some sentences that I wish you to copy. 
Remember to put the apostrophe in the proper place. 

Willie borrowed Edwins book. 
Is this Marys doll? 
The babys rattle is broken. 
My teachers name is Miss . 

Pupils should be required to construct original sentences, 
using given words in the possessive case. Oral description 
of writing possessives should be in accordance with some 
fixed form, as: 

John's shows whose book; so I write it capital J-o-h-n-'-s. 

Words from the Reader 

96. Teachers are generally very successful in having 
their pupils place in sentences words selected from their 
reading lessons. This serves two purposes: it aids in 
thought expression, and it helps to make plain the mean- 
ing of new words. The pupil who is regularly called upon 
in an exercise of this kind is likely to have no trouble in 
telling what he knows and in telling it well. 

Composition 

97. Children, I wish you to write for me three sentences about 
your mamma. You must begin each sentence, as you have already 
learned, with a capital, and if it is a declarative sentence you 
must end it with a period. Marie, what have you written 1 ? 



82 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Mamma makes my dresses. 
Mamma is kind to me. 
Mamma sends me to the store. 
How many times have you written mamma, Marie? 

I have written mamma three times. 
Suppose I were to tell you that once is enough— how would 
you write those sentences? What word could you use instead 
of mamma? 

I could use she. 
That is all right. Now read your sentences. 
Mamma makes my dresses. 
She is kind to me. 
She sends me to the store. 
I shall now ask you to write for me three sentences about your 
papa ; but you are to make one of them an interrogative sentence. 
Are you ready, Ruth? 

Papa bought me a sled. 
He took me out for a ride. 
Was he not kind to me? 
You could not have done better, Ruth. We shall now hear 
what some of the others have written. 

It is not enough for the teacher merely to point out the 
mistakes. She is building a firm foundation for the com- 
ing superstructure only when she takes care that her pupils 
rectify their errors and faithfully follow her suggestions. 
The rule that they must not repeat in close connection such 
words as mamma, for example, is to be impressed in a 
manner that should make it unnecessary to have the work 
repeated in succeeding grades. They should be led to place 
their sentences so that the sequence of time and of thought 
is preserved. Now is the time to form habits of correct 
expression, even if a comparatively narrow range is cov- 
ered. This course of procedure does not really limit the 
mental horizon of the child, but it does beget an harmo- 
nious and pleasing arrangement of words and sentences, 



THE THIRD GRADE 83 

matters which are most desirable in composition work but 
not always thought of in earlier years. 

Dramatization 

98. It is at this period that character acting should be 
very effective. The children have advanced sufficiently 
beyond the ability of first and second grade pupils to grasp 
the requirements of the situation with ease, and so to enter 
into the spirit of the play without a great deal of sugges- 
tion from the teacher. Stories from history, from myth- 
land, and from fiction may be acted to a reasonable extent ; 
but, best of all, the pupils may be taught to dramatize the 
everyday experiences of their elders without the vexa- 
tions that belong thereto. They may go to the store ; they 
may pay a visit to a friend ; they may rent a house from 
the landlord ; they may have a moving day ; they may even 
attend a "show"; but in all these experiences there must 
be the element of dialogue to bring out their powers of 
expression, as well as to make them feel that they are doing 
something really worth while. Much of the success of 
dramatization will depend upon the enthusiasm and the 
versatility of the teacher; and a sincere effort on her part 
in this direction will repay her many fold. 



Letter Writing 

99. It is probably in the third grade that the pupil 
obtains his first actual experience in letter writing. True, 
he may have indited "letters" to Santa Claus, which may 
or may not have been intelligible to that perspicacious 
old gentlemen, but his attempts have been very crude. 
He is now to receive training in some simple technical 



84 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

features that are suited to his needs at this time, and 
others will follow as he is able to grasp them. Consider- 
ing that his written composition work has been of the most 
elementary character, it cannot be expected that his letters 
will be more than mere notes, but they will mean much to 
him. They will be evidence in his eyes that he has done 
something of importance, and he should be encouraged 
in that feeling. 

Children, we shall write a letter today. To whom would you 
like to write this letter 1 ? To whom but to mamma'? And so to 
her you shall write. We may commence our letter in this way: 
Dear Mamma: 
Let us place this mark ( : ) after Mamma and then we shall 
be ready to begin the real letter. What do you wish to say first, 
May? 

I am sitting at my desk in school. 

That will do to begin with. Jack, will you tell us what to say 
next? 

I thought I would write you a letter. 
That is good, and I think we shall all write these two sentences, 
for this is to be a letter that we can take to our mammas. What 
shall we write next, Sam? 
I love you, mamma. 
Surely that is a fine sentence, and I know you can all write it. 
What shall we have next, Sarah? 
I tried to do my best today. 
All may copy that. William, you may tell us the next sentence. 

I wish to help you when I go home. 
When you have written that sentence, we will close our letter; 
but there are two other things to do before you have finished. 
On the next line you are to place these words : 
Your loving son, or, 

Your loving daughter, 
and on the last line you may write your name. Jack's letter 
will now look like this: 



THE THIRD GRADE 85 

Dear Mamma : 

I am sitting at my desk in school. I thought I would write 
you a letter. I love you, mamma. I tried to do my best today. 
I wish to help you when I go home. 

Your loving son 

Jack Thomas 

100. However far joint composition in letter writing 
as outlined above may be carried, there must come a time 
when the pupil will be obliged to search for his own mate- 
rial. This period should be approached gradually, because 
the child would otherwise run wild in the form and 
arrangement of his expression. It is all very well to talk 
about spontaneous composition, but in general results it 
cannot be compared with the supervised work that is being 
done by teachers who understand their business. The 
child leans upon his instructress, as a matter of course. 
She encourages him to tell his thoughts, and he does so 
freely, but instead of allowing him to put them down in 
a haphazard manner, she shows him the best form in which 
to clothe them, and thereby assists in the establishment of 
good habits. With such supervision as that just hinted at, 
the results are sometimes wonderful. 

The pupil may next be led to write to his father, to a 
playmate, and to a relative whom he knows well. The let- 
ters thus produced will have practically the same wording, 
and should serve their intended purpose for a time, but 
the writers will not be satisfied to have this method of 
composition continue. They will want something that can 
be considered their own property, but even this kind of 
letter writing must be supervised. 

After the name of the person to whom the letter is to be 
written has been determined, the teacher passes from pupil 
to pupil, asking this and that one what he thinks would be 



86 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

a good thing to say to the supposed recipient of his letter. 
A large fund of information is thus gathered, to which all 
in the room have contributed, and from which each one 
may choose what suits him. In the early stages of this 
work it may be a more feasible plan to place these sen- 
tences, or the most suitable of them, on the blackboard, 
and from them the pupils will make their selections. They 
will probably desire to add other statements, subject to 
the approval of the teacher. 

The plan of correcting mistakes at the time of their 
occurrence is the very best for children of this age, 
and, indeed, for those much farther advanced. It takes 
place when they are most interested in doing their work 
properly, and the corrections will have a better effect 
than would be the case if the letters were taken up, 
examined hours later, and returned after the writers had 
begun to think of something else that is mentally nearer 
to them than what they did yesterday or the day before. 
Impression is what we must create if we are to produce 
desired results with pupils in any line of study. 

Heading of the Letter 

101. It is presumed that the pupils each day write the 
names of the month and of the day of the month in one 
or another of their exercises. This makes them familiar 
with date writing, and there should be no difficulty in teach- 
ing the heading to be used. The following will suffice : 
Pittsburgh, Pa. or Pittsburgh, Pa. 

May 14, 1910 May 14, 1910 

Should it be found necessary to include the residence of 
the pupil, the heading may be written thus: 
163 Center Avenue 
Pittsburgh, Pa. 
May 14, 1910 



THE THIRD GRADE 87 

It will be observed that there are no punctuation marks 
at the ends of the lines, except in the case of abbrevia- 
tions, and that all items of the heading begin in the same 
vertical line. This style has been quite generally adopted 
by the leading business firms of the country, although 
many prefer to use the older, and equally correct, style of 
heading. For example : 

163 Center Avenue 

Pittsburgh, Pa. 
May 14, 1910 

Numbered streets should not be indicated by figures when 
they are likely to be confounded with the number of the 
residence, unless a distinguishing mark is placed between 
the two. A prevalent and uncouth habit is the writing of 
a small th, nd, rd, or st after certain numbers and a little 
above the base line. There is no warrant for this, and it 
should be discouraged by the teacher for that reason as 
well as on the ground of its unsightliness. 

The Envelope 

102. For practice in writing addresses, have the pupils 
draw envelope outlines of the size desired. The first line 
of the address should be placed a little below the middle 
of the envelope, the object being to confine the writing 
within a space that can be readily covered by the eye 
without effort. According to an approved style each succes- 
sive item should begin in the same vertical line as the first, 
experiments having shown that pupils produce better 
results in writing addresses thus. Business economy re- 
quires that there shall be no punctuation marks at the ends 
of lines except in the case of abbreviations. While the 
Post Office Department advises the writing of the names 
of states in full, there is no pressing necessity for this 



88 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

when there is scarcely any likelihood of confusion. Note 
the following illustrations, which include both styles of 
arranging the address : 

Mr. Henry W. Oliver Miss Constance E Gow 

342 Sansom St. Park View 

Detroit, Mich. Maryland 

Mrs. Samuel Parkison Master George Darsie 

1056 S. Tenth Street Lipton P. 0. 

Denver, Colorado Stark County 

Ohio 

The Value of Letter Writing in General 

103. One form of composition that is indispensable to 
all ages and conditions is the letter. It is not always 
realized by the teacher that millions of grown people, 
among them those of education if not of culture, seldom 
write anything else. Every one is called upon at one 
time or another to perform epistolary work; but who 
ever does anything else in the way of composition? The 
lawyer, the lecturer, the teacher, the preacher, the author, 
the reporter, the editor, the members of the literary club ; 
but these combined make up a very small percentage of 
the adult population. 

Since, then, the letter is the only sort of original writing 
which the masses of the people attempt, it must be evident 
to the thoughtful that the principles which govern its 
preparation should be thoroughly studied and practiced in 
the schools. Particularly is this true of the parts of 
the letter and of the writing of the envelope address. The 
teacher will find that persistent work in these respects will 
repay her many fold. A special point of instruction should 
be the address. Plain writing, horizontal lines, a placing 
of the various items that will bring about symmetry and 



THE THIRD GRADE 89 

balance are three important considerations, and these 
should be dwelt upon with greater insistence from grade 
to grade, because the pupil develops skill in doing such 
things as he grows older. Consequently, the longer sys- 
tematic practice is postponed the later the desired standard 
will be attained. 

Illustrative Material 

104. The majority of teachers turn their worn-out 
readers over to the janitor, who usually consigns them to 
the furnace, thus depriving the children of the use of the 
pictures, which are destroyed with the books. It is an easy 
matter to cut these pictures out, and almost any pupil will 
be glad to help. They may be classified, placed in en- 
velopes, and laid away for suitable occasions. When a 
composition subject has been assigned, a picture may be 
selected from this store that will serve as an appropriate 
illustration and adornment. For example, the teacher may 
ask her pupils to write about "Jack and His Sled." Her 
stock will certainly provide pictures that will answer admir- 
ably for Jack ; and, in case those of sleds are not obtain- 
able in that manner, advertisements cut from the daily 
papers in the winter season will furnish all that will be 
needed. In general, it may be said that where there is the 
will to provide material for this and other kinds of com- 
position work, the way can usually be found. 

Study of the Northland 

105. The winter months will serve as an appropriate 
period for the study of the Northland and its people. An 
Eskimo village may be constructed on the table by the 
use of cotton for the snow, glass over blue paper for the 
ice, and clay for modeling the igloos, the sleds, the animals, 



90 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

and the Eskimos themselves. The pupils should be taught 
something of the life of these people, the food they eat, the 
clothing they wear, the animals they hunt, the dogs they 
own, the value of the latter to Arctic explorers, and other 
related things. The picture of an igloo in the upper !eft- 
hand corner of each paper will make the entire work all 
the more realistic. Answers to the following or similar 
questions will bring to light what they have learned of this 
subject : 

This is a picture' of what ? 
What is an igloo? 
Of what is it made"? 
The hole in front is used for what? 
How large is it? 

Would you like to live in an igloo? Why? 
Do you think an Eskimo would like to live in your house? 
Why? 

What does the Eskimo eat? 

What does he wear? 

Is he larger or smaller than the men you see on the street? 

What do you believe is the cause of this? 

Do you think the Eskimos are as clean as Americans? 

Of what use are their dogs ? 

A Poem for Study 

The Violet 

106. Down in a green and shady bed, 
A modest violet grew, 
Its stalk was bent, it hung its head 
As if to hide from view. 

And yet it was a lovely flower, 

Its colors bright and fair; 
It might have graced a rosy bower 

Instead of hiding there. 



THE THIRD GRADE 91 

Yet there it was content to bloom, 

In modest tints arrayed; 
And there it spread its sweet perfume 

Within the silent shade. 

Then let me to the valley go, 

This pretty flower to see; 
That I may also learn to grow 

In sweet humility. _ Jme Taylof 

Have the pupils memorize this poem, employing suffi- 
cient discussion to make the meanings of the words clear 
and the sentiment of the poem thoroughly understood. 

What might have been used instead of stalk, modest, lovely, 
content, bloom, silent, arrayed, perfume, view, shade? Is there 
any objection to using scent for perfume? 

Where did the violet grow? 

Why is it said to be modest? 

What cultivated flower is closely related to it 1 ? 

What should we learn from this poem? 

Dictation Exercises in Possessives 

107. Mary's mother is ill today. 

I saw that man 's hat fall off as he boarded the car. 
On Sam's seventh birthday, his father gave him a new 
sled. 

I did not see you at Jane's party last evening. 
I know of a bird's nest that has four eggs in it. 

Dictation Exercises in Address 

108. Were you at school today, Tom 1 ? 

Yes, I was there, May. 
Does Grace go to school, Tom 1 ? 

No, she is too little, May. She plays all day. 
What do you do in school, Tom 1 ? 

I read and write and study arithmetic, May. 
Tom, did your sister stay at home with the baby ? 

Yes, May, she did this morning. 



92 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Water 

109. Place these questions and partial statements on 
the blackboard; require the pupils to answer or complete. 

Where does water run. Where does it come from? 

We use water to . We use it to . We also use 

it to . 

What is ice? What is it good for? 

What is steam? For what do we use it? 

Why should we be careful about the steam from the tea- 
kettle? 

Composition 

Snow 

110. Have the pupils write an answer to each of the 
following : 

Snow falls in what months? 
Which is the heavier, snow or rain ? 
Which falls faster? 
What makes snowdrifts? 
What is one use of snow? 
What is another? 
What is a third? 
Why do you like snow? 
When does it make the best snowballs? 
In what way does the presence of snow make work 
for people? 

Is that a good thing? 

Snowballing 

111. In a conversation after the writing of the compo- 
sition on "Snow," the teacher should avail herself of the 
opportunity to give instruction regarding proper behavior 
in one of the most enjoyable as well as most troublesome of 



THE THIRD GRADE 93 

winter sports. It should be in conversational form because 
it is a subject about which children are by no means igno- 
rant. They are therefore in a position to answer many 
questions asked by the teacher, and they are fair enough 
to state in unequivocal terms what is right and what is 
wrong. Discussion will make an impression for good, and 
it should cover such questions as the necessity for school 
rules; the rights of pedestrians and other passers-by; the 
danger to property ; what is permissible in the sport ; and 
what the law of courtesy demands. 



Reproduction 

112. There is such a wealth of stories suited to the 
third grade that the pupil should have a fair chance to 
hear or to read many of them, even though he may not 
reproduce all of them. They may be culled from various 
sources, such as mythological, legendary, fairy, and histor- 
ical. A suggested list follows: 

How the Camel Got His Hump. Kipling: Jungle Book 

How the Elephant Got His Trunk. Kipling : Jungle Book 

The Story of William Tell. Baldwin: Fifty Famous Stories 
Retold 

Araehne, or the Wonderful Weaver. Baldwin: Old Greek 
Stories 

Pocahontas. Baldwin : Fifty Famous Stories Retold 

The Fisherman and His Wife. Grimm 

The Frog Prince. Grimm 

The Fox and the Crane. Baldwin : Fairy Stories and Fables 

The Hare and the Tortoise. Baldwin: Fairy Stories and Fables 

The Milkmaid and Her Pail. Baldwin: Fairy Stories and 
Fables 

The Dog in the Manger. Baldwin : Fairy Tales and Fables 

Five Peas in a Pod. Andersen 

The Golden Touch. Hawthorne 



94 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

The Story of Noah. Bible 
The Story of Joseph. Bible 
The Story of David and Goliath. Bible 

The Fox Who Lost His Tail. Baldwin: Fairy Stories and 
Fables 

Special Events 

113. These will include Halloween, Thanksgiving, St, 
Valentine's Day, Lincoln's Birthday, Washington's Birth- 
day, the birthday of a favorite poet, and Memorial Day. 
Most of the work required of the pupils should be oral, 
for the reason that the various descriptions are too lengthy 
to be treated in satisfactory written form. In case the 
latter is desired, let the sentences be short and connected 
and written under the directing hand of the teacher. The 
real object of the observance of these special occasions is 
to arouse interest in the events themselves and in the les- 
sons hinging upon them. To burden the child with writ- 
ten detail will probably have the effect of causing him to 
wish that there were no such things as special occasions, 
particularly if he knows he has to write about them every 
time they occur. The proper course to pursue will be to 
give a small amount of written work as a synopsis of what 
has been learned orally. 

Composition 
Our Baby 

114. What is so bewitching as a baby? All children, 
even the boys, love babies, and the pupils will be delighted 
to write about them. Have each member of the class 
procure the picture of one and paste it in the upper left- 
hand corner of his paper. Exactly what effect the presence 



THE THIRD GRADE 95 

of this picture will have on the thoughts of the writer is 
not altogether determinable ; but it will certainly influence 
his enthusiasm as well as the trend of his story, and should 
prove an inspiration to him. 



A Diary 

115. Devote the language period for one week to the 
writing of a diary. On Monday the teacher may explain 
what the phrase "keeping a diary" implies, what thought 
is to be given to it each day, and what in general is to be 
recorded. On each of the following days the writing is to 
be done on scrap paper, the teacher passing from pupil to 
pupil and pointing out mistakes as they are made. After 
this work has been completed, let it be copied for inspection 
or examination. Parents will doubtless be interested in 
this type of composition and should be given the privilege 
of reading what their children have written. 



The Farmer 

116. Do you live in the country? If not, have you 
ever visited country friends ? Do you know that the farmer 
is one of the busiest of men, and that his tasks are greater 
in number than those of almost any other person? Do 
you think you would like to write something about the life 
he leads? If so, relate what he does in spring, summer, 
autumn, and winter. Name some of the animals to be 
found on the farm, and tell what is done with them. Ex- 
plain what is meant by crops, and enumerate the most 
important of them. Mention the trips the farmer is 
obliged to make. Describe his amusements. 



96 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

teach taught 

117. Who you now? 

Who you last year? 

Mary Joe how to add. 

Miss Miller has two years in this school. 

Pronouns 

118. Pronouns are another source of worry, the more 
so because, even when the pupil has learned the proper 
form, he will employ the erroneous one through fear of 
ridicule or for some other reason. In learning to use the 
correct forms of /, he, she, we, a game may be played after 
the following fashion : 

A pupil retires from the room. The others choose one of 
their number, and when the absent one is called in he is to guess 
who has been chosen. He asks, "John, is it Mary?" John 
replies, "No, it is not she." "Mary, is it Albert?" "No, it 
is not he." "Ora, is it you?" "Yes, it is I." The value of 
the game consists simply in the planting of a seed; the more 
it is cultivated the more deeply it will take root. The pupils 
will probably go out into the school yard and say, "Yes, it is 
me"; but they have had the knowledge impressed upon them 
that that is the incorrect form, and knowledge is at least half the 
winning of the battle. 

Who is crying, you or ? 

It is . 

Who is knocking at the door? 

Is that you, John? 

Yes, mamma, it is . 

Who would like to go to the woods this afternoon? 

It was who broke her slate. 



THE THIRD GRADE 97 

Punctuation 

119. It is advisable to give drills in punctuation in 
order to keep certain principles pertaining to that fea- 
ture of language work fresh in mind. A pupil, for instance, 
may write a dozen compositions, and not be called upon 
in all that time to use the comma of address. Have the 
following written from dictation: 

Were Harry and Samuel at school today "mother 

No they were not there today 

Will Harry be able to go tomorrow Yes 

Does he wish to stay at home 

No he wishes to go as soon as he is well enough 

He does nothing but worry scold and cry while he is sick 

Quotation Marks 

120. Pupils of this grade should know something about 
quotation marks, but it is not necessary to confuse their 
minds with complicated forms. Their attention may be 
called to the presence of broken quotations in their readers, 
and, to some extent, these may be studied ; but there is no 
necessity for difficult exercises. Sentences similar to the 
following may be given for practice : 

Mother said to Henry please give me a drink 

I have no money with me said father 

Where is my slate asked Ernest 

Miss Stanton inquired William where were you yesterday 

Well John how did you do today asked his father 

Distinguishing Words 

like love 

121. Wc are going to study two words that we use very often. 
One of them is like, and the other is love. I feel sure thai you 



98 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

know enough of the difference between them to finish these 
sentences : 

I love my . I like . 

I love my . I like — 

I love my . - I like — 

I love our . I like — 

Now, Jack, from these sentences, do you think you can tell 
me what you like? 
I like things. 
And what do you love? 

I love people. 
Do you love every person? 

No, I think I only like some people. I like the ones I 
don 't know very well. I love the people in my family. 

That is the way, exactly. But we should love to do some 
things that it is right to do, as you shall see very shortly. I 
shall place some sentences on the blackboard for you to finish 
by filling the blanks: 

my father, mother, brothers, and sisters. 

sweet oranges. 

do so to skate. 

John because he is such a sensible boy. 

God because He is my Creator and Preserver. 

my country and her flag. 

my neighbors because they are nice people. 

Synonyms 

122. Make no attempt to use the word synonyms. The 
statement that certain words are so nearly alike in mean- 
ing that one of them may be substituted for another will 
be sufficient explanation. Have the pupils examine the 
following sentences with the view of changing each of the 
italicized words for one that has the same signification : 

The minister talked to us for a long time. 

The sheep jumped over the fence. 

This is a pleasant day for walking. 



THE THIRD GRADE 99 

They are a jolly set of boys. 
His face was flushed with anger. 
Fido scampered off to meet his master. 

As a continuation of this exercise, select from the reader 
sentences which contain words replaceable by others of 
similar meaning. Remember that a knowledge of syno- 
nyms is a valuable asset in language work. 

sit sitting sat has sat have sat 

123. Sit is a very troublesome word. Not only does 
the ordinary child have an almost irresistible inclination 
to substitute set for it, but the average grown person 
is afflicted in much the same way. In this case the helper 
artifice is not available, for the past tense and the past 
participle are identical. Memory is the faculty to be 
depended upon in the use of these forms. Of course the 
child may be told that when he sets he musf set something, 
but the mischief is usually done in oral language before 
he thinks of such artifices; furthermore, a multiplicity 
of rules is likely to confuse him. 

Exercises similar to the following may be given : 

I am at my desk. 

May next to me. 

I was by the fire when Joe came in. 

He down beside me. 

Have yon on the bank of the river 1 ? 

Can't yon still, Joe? 

knew known 

124. Knew is strong; known is weak. Knew needs no 
helper; known does. Some of the helpers are has, have, 
had, was, were, is, are. The pupil may be led to observe 
that a great many of these weak words end with the let- 



100 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

ter n; and this will serve to guide him in his choice of 
forms to combine with the helpers. 

Have you Marie long 1 ? 

I have her for two years. 

Did you her before she came to this school 1 ? 

Yes, I her for some time before that. 

John has not his lesson once this week. 

Homonyms 

125. The following sentences are to be completed by 
selections from the homonyms in Section 91. They may 
be given at any time considered advisable. 

Who the games'? 

Pittsburgh , and Chicago the other. 

Do you Mr. Smith'? 

, I do not. 

Where do you your butter, Mrs. Sankey? 

I it at the grocery store the church. 

Jack the ball, and it went a window. 

Who is standing over ? 

Jane and Julia are going with parents to the picnic. 

Mamma has me to the store to buy a pound of butter, 

but I lack one of having enough to pay for it. 

Why ai-e you standing ? 

I am standing to the band as it passes. 

There was a dress on the line, and the wind 

it off. 

It is not to ■ a composition carelessly. 

Samuel said he — — where the store was, but he 

could not find it when a stranger asked him to do so. 

Possessives 

126. In the sentence, " May's hat is on her desk," you will 
notice how the word May's is written. Eemember to spell it 
Capital M-a-y-apostrophe-s. The apostrophe is used to show 
that the owner of the hat is May; in other words, it indicates 



THE THIRD GRADE 101 

possession. Find the name of the owner in each of these sen- 
tences, then rewrite, placing' the apostrophe where it belongs. 
You may use this form by way of description: 

"May's hat is on her desk." The owner of the hat is May, 
so I write the word, Capital M-a-y-'-s. 
Jacks brother is a young man. 
Who robbed the birds nest? 
Mr. Rankins barn was burned last night. 
I cannot find the babys bonnet anywhere. 
I am sure that is Katies pencil. 
Will you find out if fathers lunch has been prepared? 

Proper Verb Forms 

127. As a drill in the use of troublesome irregular 
verbs have the pupils write an answer to each of the fol- 
lowing questions : 

Where did you see Tom yesterday? 

How did John do his work Saturday? 

When did Mr. Jones come home? 

How did Miss Summers sing last Tuesday evening? 

How often did the fire bells ring last night? 

Why did you know your lesson so well this morning? 

When did you write to your mother? 

How hard did the wind blow last night? 

Where did the player throw the ball? 

Where did Miss Watkins teach last term? 

How many apples did you eat at the picnic yesterday? 

When did you draw this picture, Marie? 

Where did this flower grow? 

The Writing of Dates 

128. Newspaper usage decrees that when the number 
of the day follows the name of the month in the writing or 
printing of dates, the terminations st, nd, rd, and th shall 
be dropped. Boston, Mass., July 23, 1923, is preferable to 



102 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION , 

Boston, Mass., July 23rd, 1923. In other cases, the ter- 
minations are retained. Have the pupils complete these 
sentences : 

I was born on the day of December. 

The Declaration of Independence was signed on the 

of July, 1776. 

July , 1776, was our first Independence Day. 

I think I can be with you on the . 

Abraham Lincoln was born February , 1809. 

Formation of Plurals 

129. How do you usually make a word mean more than one? 
With that rule in mind, make boy, cat, monkey, hill, house, 

sofa, chimney, cane, step, shoe, mean more than one. 

Explain how you change baby so as to make it mean more than 
one. 

Apply that rule to lady, city, lily, library, peony, cherry, copy. 
How do you make knife, wife, life mean more than one? 

John has two . 

All the in the village are mothers. 

Eight were lost in the railroad accident. 

How do you make loaf, shelf, leaf, self mean more than one? 

I wish to get three of bread. 

Our cupboard has four . 

Sam tore two out of his book. 

We are going to divide the cake among our . 

How do you make the word mouse mean more than one? 

Father caught two in a trap. 

How do you make man, child, woman, tooth, foot mean more 
than one? After you have made the necessary changes, place 
each of these words in a sentence. 

The Use of Let 

130. This modest word is much abused by that bold 
intruder, Leave. Remember that let has the meaning of 



THE THIRD GRADE 103 

allow, permit. Discuss the matter with the pupils, using the 
appended sentences as a basis: 

Will you me go with you tomorrow, mamma? 

the boys have all they wish to drink. 

me alone, for I wish not to be teased. 

Our teacher us play five minutes' longer. 

You may Fido come with you. 

The principal would not us go out to play because 

Ihe yard was wet. 

Hereafter I shall try to use " " more and " " not so 

much. 



Blackboard Composition 
I Am a Lion 

131. Let each pupil imagine himself to be the animal 
that is being described ; the resulting feeling of personality 
will make him much more earnest and interested. For the 
sake of variety, certain of the children may be permitted to 
write single sentences on the board, and from these the 
teacher will make the selections, subject to the approval of 
the class. Orderly arrangement should be the motive in 
this part of the work. 

The same method may be employed with each of these 
subjects at proper intervals : 

I Am a Fly I Am a Cent 

I Am a Goat I Am a Mouse 

I Am a Bird I Am a Horse 

Our Flag 

132. What are the colors of the American flag? Where 
is each color to be found? How many stripes are there? 
How many of each color are there? How many stars are 



104 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

there? What do the stripes stand for? What do the 
stars stand for ? Of what is the flag made ? Why should 
we love the flag? Where do we often see it? 

The Duel 

133. What is a duel? How many persons does it take to 
fight a duel? With what do they fight? Why do they fight? 
If they fight with their fists, what do you call them? Tell why 
it is wrong to fight duels. 

Learn the poem, "The Duel," written by Eugene Field. You 
will enjoy it. After it is learned you will be able to describe 
the characters in that duel, why they fought, how they fought, 
and what at last happened to them. 

Story for Reproduction 

The Pied Piper op Hamelin 

134. This is a very attractive tale, and the pupils of 
the third grade will be interested in hearing it read. It 
may be reproduced by chosen members of the class who 
recite parts of it serially, or it can be dramatized with 
good results. 

Completion of Sentences 

135. This should prove a good exercise for the stimu- 
lation of thought. The pupils are told that they are going 
on a journey and that their teacher is going with them only 
part of the way; the remainder they must travel alone. 
Their concern should be to reach the end in safety — the 
complete sentence will tell the story. 

John's mother told him Why do you 

Take me Tom said 

Mary rode ' There are twenty-four 

The postman Give us this day 

As Julia started to school May I 



THE THIRD GRADE 105 

Comparison 

136. No definition of this word is to be given, nor, 
indeed, is the word itself to be used. An illustration or 
two will suffice to indicate what is to be done. Each sen- 
tence is to be completed by the insertion of the proper form 
of one of these words: long, sweet, short, healthy, good, 
heavy, tall, bad. 

Grace is than her sister. 

A yard is than a foot. 

Iron is than coal. 

An inch is than a foot. 

Honey is than milk. 

This cloth is of a quality than that. 

John is a boy than Thomas, because he is never sick. 

This writing is than the other. 

was were were you you were 

137. Mr. Thomas at home last evening? 

Yes; both Mr. and Mrs. Thomas at home. 

you at the picnic last week 1 ? 

No; but my brothers there. 

You absent from school all of last week. 

Yes ; for I too ill to go. 

all the boys on hand to play the game 1 ? 

No; Mike and Tim not there. 

Proper Prepositions 

138. Proper prepositions include at, into, on, beyond, 
beneath, over, between, across, in. Fill the blanks in the 
following sentences with the correct words : 

I stood the flag. 

The cat is the table ! 

A black cloud hung the city. 

Mary lives just the church, 



106 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

I shall stay home today. 

I put my hand my pocket for some money, but 1 

found none there. 

I am going the street. 

What have you your hand, mother"? 

I shall divide this cake you two boys. 

draw drew (has, have, had, was, is) drawn 

139. The pupils of this room are ing from life. 

They something every day. 

Yesterday they the picture of a pumpkin, and after- 
ward wrote a composition on the same paper. 

This picture must have been with much care. 

Have you ever the likeness of a friend? 

I have just a picture of a cat, but it does not 

look very much like one. 

George has many beautiful country scenes. 

Monkeys 

140. Think of one monkey you have seen. What was 
it doing? Think of another. What was it doing? Tell 
how one of them was dressed, if it was dressed. Why 
does an organ grinder sometimes carry a monkey with 
him? Do you think he is kind to it? Would you like 
to have a monkey for a pet? Why? Tell some things 
monkeys do that would make them undesirable as pets. 
Tell a story of a monkey. Be careful about periods and 
capital letters. 

Some Composition Subjects 

141. An account of the story which you think is the best in 
your reader 

Kindness Shown to an Animal by its Owner 
Some Ways in Which a Girl May Be of Use to her Mother 
Some Ways in Which a Boy Can Be of Use about the House 
How a Girl Plavs ' ' Jacks ' ' 



THE THIRD GRADE 107 

How a Boy Plays " Marbles" 

The Study of the Most Common Nuts 

The Study of Favorite Birds 

The Study of Wild Creatures: such as the rabbit, the beaver, 
the fox, and the bear; also the crow, the oriole, the duck, and 
any others well enough known to be of interest to pupils of 
this age. 

The Study of Cotton (It is not difficult to obtain specimens, 
and the subject should be attractive to children of this grade.) 

How to Take Care of the Teeth 

How to Take Care of the Hair 

How to Conduct One's Self at the Table 

A Walk in the Park, and What I Saw There 

The Nearest Way to the Post Office 

How We Made Our Garden 

How the Squirrel Prepares for Winter 

The Bainbow 

The Trees in the School Yard 

The Earth's Two Carpets 

The Grasshopper 

A Fruit I Like 



Tests in Third Year Work 

142. Write an imperative sentence containing John. 
Write an interrogative sentence containing ivas. 
Write an interrogative sentence containing were. 
Write sentences containing rode and road. 
Write a sentence containing a series at the beginning; one 
the end. 

From dictation: 

Two boys found a boy's cap in the street. 

The children's papa is not at home. 

Mamma said, "Minnie, you have soiled your dress." 
Use seen, saw, threw, thrown: 

Harry John as he the ball. 

The boy was as he the ball. 

I have just some food to the chickens. 



108 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Use no, know, knew, known, new: 

We have this man for a long time. 

I we were to have a lesson. 

I I have money to buy a dress. 

Write abbreviations for Mister, Blisses, Doctor, September, 
January. 

Write five sentences about your baby sister, or about some 
one else's. 

Answer in complete sentences: 

How do we buy salt 1 ? Where do we buy it 1 ? Where does it 
come from? Why do we put it on meat? Where do we put 
the salt when we make ice cream 1 ? Could we get along without 
salt? 

Tell in three sentences three things you know about ice, using 
that word but once. 

Punctuate : 

John shut the door 
Shut the door John 
Please John shut the door 

Draw the outline of an envelope three inches by six inches, 
and write on it "Miss Mary Stanton, Annapolis, Maryland." 
Indicate the position of the stamp. 

Write to your mother a letter of five or six lines, telling her 
anything you think will be of interest to her. 

Punctuate from dictation : 

I have cents dimes marbles and jacks in my pocket 
Complete the following expressions by adding two or more 
words : 

Bring me The newspaper 

We took a walk Mrs. Mason's baby 

Where have Tom is taller 



CHAPTER IV 

THE FOURTH GRADE 

Outline of Work 

143. 1. Review of preceding grade work 

2. Distinguishing words 

3. The study of synonyms 

4. Punctuation, including the use of quotation 

marks 

5. Additional irregular verbs 

6. The study of poems 

7. Letter writing, including the parts of the letter 

8. Homonyms 
.9. Paragraphing 

10. Reproduction 

11. Composition work : the diary, skeleton stories, 

outlines, list of topics 

12. Incidental use of subject, predicate, object 

13. Lessons in courtesy and morals 

144. By the time the pupil has reached the fourth 
grade he is in a position to do composition work of a more 
dignified character than he has done heretofore. He has 
improved in continuity of thought, and his sentences hang 
together fairly well. He has materially increased the 
scope of his vocabulary, gaining at the same time some 
power in the use of synonyms. While he should still have 
much practice in oral composition, it will be found that 
written work is gradually becoming a more important 
factor than it was in former grades. This will necessitate 

109 



110 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

care and precision in the preparation of all that is 
assigned him to do, and these requirements imply the 
retention of certain rules and principles that he has already 
learned, as well as the acquirement of other essentials that 
will be used in his future work. 

Quotation Marks 

145. A more extensive knowledge of this subject is 
now required, and the books used in school may furnish 
the material for study. Broken quotations will form part 
of the work, but they should be made as simple as possible. 
The following sentences will serve as models : 

Will yon be ready for me when I call? asked Stella. 
Yes, replied Marion, I shall be ready for you. 
Here, said the gardener, is where I planted the flower. 
The gardener said, Here is where I planted the flower. 
Francis, said Anna, where is my hat? 
Somebody has said, Honesty is the best policy. 

Punctuation 

146. No printed or written literature can be read with 
any degree of freedom or exactness unless the necessary 
punctuation marks are present, and many costly mistakes 
have been made because of faulty work in this respect. 
Pupils should realize that manuscripts must not be handed 
to the teacher until the punctuation has been scrupulously 
attended to. Thorough revision will often prevent errors 
in capitalization and the consequent uniting of two or 
more sentences into a sentence which is apparently single. 
Here, the daily reading lesson may be utilized as a means 
of cultivating observation in regard to the employment of 
these marks by some such method as the following : 

John, read the first sentence in the second paragraph. Now 
close your book. With what mark does the sentence end? How 



THE FOURTH GRADE 111 

do you remember that ? Do you recollect seeing a comma ? After 
what word does it occur? Why was it placed there? Are there 
any capital letters in the sentence? Give the reason or reasons 
for their use. 

A study of what is done by trained writers in the matter 
of punctuation should lead pupils to make use of the same 
principles in the preparation of their own manuscripts. 
Have the children punctuate and capitalize these sentences 
correctly : 

is captain smith at home misses smith 

julia and Virginia are in town today but torn jack and joe are 
in the woods 

mary said mother can you find my black hat 

colonel samuel p black 1520 poeahontas street norfolk Virginia 

dear friend susan (salutation) 

the teacher inquired clyde where is your excuse 

the most common vegetables are potatoes beets tomatoes and 
onions 

mother and father have gone to niagara falls 

Synonyms 

147. Rewrite, substituting for each italicized word one which 
means the same thing : 

Mrs. Jacobs speaks very rapidly. 

Sam collected the stones into one pile. 

"Grace," inquired Miss Simpson, "were you ill yesterday?" 

Here is a very clumsy fellow. 

Jake discovered a rat in the woodpile. 

Mamie proceeded to school quite thoughtfully. 

We purchased a few articles at the sale today. 

Dictation Exercises in Contractions 

148. Since I'm not sure that T know my lesson this morning, 
I'll study it a little longer. 

I've to get three things at the store. 
It's too late for us to be out. 



112 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

I play with Joe. He's my best friend. 

Don't forget to call for me in the morning, Frank. 

That's the very word I wanted. 

Can't Fred run faster than Tom? No. 

Haven't you played this game before? 

What's the matter with Emma? She's crying. 

A Note to Your Teacher 

149. Suppose that your mother is ill and that you are obliged 
to remain away from school for a few days. Write a note to 
your teacher, explaining the cause of your absence, and send it 
to her by a classmate. You are not to be told what to say, and 
you must therefore be very careful to use the best forms of lan- 
guage possible. When this is done, fold the note, write the 
teacher's name on the outside, and in the lower left-hand corner 
place the words, Kindness of, followed by your classmate's name. 

A Note of Thanks 

150. A relative has given you a knife as a birthday present. 
Write him a letter, acknowledging its receipt. State why you 
appreciate such a gift and what you expect to do with it. In 
writing this exercise you will remember what uses can be made 
of a knife as well as the harm that can be done with one. Use 
the regular heading, salutation, and close. 

A Study in Pronouns 

151. am to blame, for it was who did the mischief. 

Is it who are to play with us? 

Was it who wanted you to go with her? 

Who is to play with him, you or ? 

There go William and Mary ; and are my best friends. 

Was it or whom you asked to bring you the book? 

Repeat the following forms daily for a month, individually and 
in concert: 

Is it I? It is I. 

Is it we? It is we. 

Is it he? It is he. 

Is it she? It is she. 

Is it they? It is they. 



THE FOURTH GRADE 113 

Some Troublesome Verbs 

tear tore (has, have, had, is, was) torn 

wear wore (has, have, had, is, was) worn 

152. The word tear is very familiar to you because you use it 
so frequently, and it is just as familiar to your mother for reasons 
which you can readily state. If you damaged your dress yesterday 
by tearing it, how would you describe your act? Of course you 
would use the word tore, and this we call the strong word because 
it expresses action without the aid of a helper. Now, suppose 
the action just described happened a minute ago — how would you 
explain it to your mother? Naturally, you would say, "Oh, 

mamma, I my dress ! ' ' Here it requires two words to 

describe the action, because one of them is so weak that it cannot 
do so alone. Can you tell what the weak word is? The other is 
the helper. Can you tell what it is? 

Then we have another word very much like tear in sound, and 
it has a strong and a weak form. Can you name each of them? 

Carefully study the following sentences so that you may be able 
to supply the missing words : 

Can you this piece of cloth for me? 

I as tough a piece this morning. 

See, I have just this one. 

May 's dress was by a nail. 

I shall my new hat tomorrow. 

I have mine already. 

Straw hats were not so early as this last year. 

After I have this suit a little longer, I shall give it away. 

eat ate (has, have, had. is. was) eaten 

steal stole (has, have, had, is, was) stolen 

153. Will you help me this orange? 

No, thank you ; I have just one. 

Harry his breakfast alone this morning, for all the others 

had theirs before he got up. 

The ice cream was by the boys, and the bananas by the 

girls. 

People who are called thieves. 



114 



LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 



The hungry man a loaf of bread, and after he had 

it he it. 

Did any one the diamond"? 

Yes, it was by an acquaintance of the owner. 

Synonyms 

154. Rewrite, changing the italicized words: 
The farmer boy has to be very industrious. 

The mills of Youngstown make articles from steel and iron, and 
send them to other cities. 

I do not consider that a fair question. 

The hired man is a very lazy fellow. 

There is a pupil in our room who always stammers when he 
attempts to talk fast. 

The atmosphere of Pittsburgh is sometimes full of smoke. 

More Synonyms 

155. Each word in the first and second columns has a synonym 
in the third or fourth column. On the basis of similarity in 
meaning, place them" in pairs and use each word in a sentence. 



collect 


cheat 


permit 


edge 


border 


damage 


gather 


mimic 


extravagant 


jump 


injury 


build 


behavior 


find 


wasteful 


leap 


imitate 


allow 


conduct 


forgive 


construct 


pardon 


discover 


deceive 



Distinguishing Words 
may can might could 

156. I take the baby for a ride, mamma? 

Sarah asked her mamma if she take the baby for a ride. 

Her mamma said she if she get back early. 

When Sam asked for permission to leave the room, he said, 
Miss Stanton, can I be excused?" What should he have said? 
State what you think may means. What does can mean? 

Might and could are generally used in the same sense 
,s may and can. 



THE FOURTH GRADE 115 

Composition 

157. Write from eight to ten sentences telling what you do 
after school. Be certain that words are not repeated too often, 
and that your sentences are so closely connected as to make a 
ID leasing story. 

A Loaf of Bread 

158. What does the farmer do to the ground before the 
seed is sowed? 

How is it smoothed? 
How is the grain put into the ground 1 ? 

Is it necessary to cultivate the ground after the wheat is 
sowed ? 

When the grain ripens, how is it cut down ? 

What is next done with it? 

What is a thresher? 

After the threshing, where does the farmer take the wheat? 

Why is flour white? 

What is the brown part called, and what is done with it? 

What does your mother do first when she makes bread ? 

What is used to make .bread rise? 

What name is given to the mixture before it becomes bread? 

If it does not rise, how does it taste when it is baked? 

Tell me something about the baker. 

Reproduction 

159. Read to the pupils the story of the goose that laid 
the golden egg. After a discussion of the tale and the 
discovery of its moral, have the story reproduced on paper. 

Distinguishing Words 
learn teach 

160. To learn means to receive instruction; to teach means to 
give instruction. 

The teacher does not her pupils; she them. 

I cannot go with you, for I must my lessons. 



116 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Who you to solve the problem in that way 1 ? 

Miss Stanton ' me, and I it in a very short time. 

A boy has to be to swim, but no one ever a duck to 

do so. 

Tom is his brother to swim, and the latter is very 

fast. 

Review of the Comma 

161. Sarah please bring me your book. 
Whose hat is this Tom? 

Come here Stella for I wish to talk to you. 
Hats caps belts and shoes are kept at Moore's store. 
The most common vegetables are radishes potatoes turnips and 
carrots. 

Altoona Pa. May 31 1902 

Nellie wishes me to go but I have not the time. 

Singulars and Plurals 

162. Change the following sentences so that the subjects shall 
become plural: 

A fox has a tail. A monkey was found in the tree. A mouse 
was caught in a trap. One goose costs two dollars. The shelf 
is very clean. This knife is sharp. My penny was lost. The 
roof was blown off by the wind. A piano is a very costly instru- 
ment. A tomato is first green, then red. 

163. Rewrite, substituting a synonym for each of the italicized 
words. Rewrite once more, changing each italicized word for one 
of opposite meaning if it can be done consistently: 

This is a lovely rose. 

Mr. Jones is a wealthy man. 

I hurried to school. 

My lesson is difficult this morning. 

The boys in Room One are small. 

How fast you walk ! 

What fine weather we are having! 

The Hudson is a broad river. 



THE FOURTH GRADE 117 

We have no dull pupils in our room. 

Some of the boys are quicker in their lessons than the girls. 

Composition — I Am a Fish 

164. Imagine you are a fish. Describe what you did when 
young; what you saw; how you were onee caught by a hook, and 
how you escaped. Oral discussion, as usual. 

lie lying- lay have lain has lain 

165. Here are some words which often cause difficulty, but 
I believe that, when you have had time to think about them, you 
will be able to use them correctly. Let us see how and where we 
may lie. We lie in bed ; we do not lay in bed. Write another sen- 
tence in which we can use the word lie. 

We lie on the floor. 
We lie on the lounge. 
We lie on the ground. 

If we did these things yesterday or last week, we use lay. 
Let us have sentences of this kind. 
We lay on the floor yesterday. 
We lay on the lounge last night. 
We lay on the ground last summei*. 

Lain is one of those words that need helpers. I shall now give 
you several sentences for study, and I am sure that with a little 
thought you can supply the correct forms : 

Marie in bed almost every morning until eight o'clock. 

but yesterday she until nine. 

I am on the bench, and am too tired to get up. 

People who in bed so late are likely to grow lazy. 

The injured man where he fell. 

The pencil on the floor until Charles picked it up. 

The sick girl has on the lounge by the window every day 

this week. 

still, baby, and go to sleep. 

Do not on the ground, for you may catch cold. 

Have you often beside the creek 1 ? 



118 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Describing Actions 

166. I am going to do two things, and I wish you to tell me 
about them in one sentence. Are you ready, Marie? 

Miss walked to her desk and picked up a book. What 

is the only punctuation mark you used? 
I used only a period. 

I shall now do- three things, and in describing them you must 
be careful of your marks. Remember to use and but once. "What 
have you, Tom? 

Miss walked to her desk, picked up a book, and wrote 

in it. 

How many marks did you use, Tom? 

I used three; two commas and a period. 

What did you have in this sentence that led you to use and 
but once? 

I had a series. 

What else had you to use on account of the series? 
I had to use two commas. 

Description of actions is pleasing to pupils because it 
arouses and sustains their interest. Used properly, it 
breaks up the habit of employing the word and too often 
and serves to give practice in the making and punctuating 
of the series. 

Describing a Person 

167. I shall ask you to write four sentences about the person 
you love most. There are several things you should not do when 
you describe either a person or a thing. Do you know what one 
of them is, May? 

You have told us not to use his name too often. 

Yes, that is right. What else, Ernest ? 

You have said not to make the sentences too much alike. 

Can you think of anything else, Joe? 

You have told us not to use more than one and in a sentence. 



THE FOURTH GRADE 119 

That is a very good rule for little people, although you will 
be allowed to use more when your sentences, like you, become 
larger. Now let us go to work. You have finished first, Philip, 
so you may read. 

' ' I love my mamma most of all. I love her because she is 
good and kind to me. I love her because she gets me ready 
for school every morning. I love her because she is so nice. ' ' 

Ah, Philip, the compositions that are done first are not always 
the best. I wonder what Philip said that is not quite right. 
Will some one tell me? 

His sentences are too much alike. 

He said the same thing four times. 

Sarah, you were not so quick; I think I shall try you next. 
"I like Marie because she is always so pleasant. She is 
not rough in her play, and she never scolds. She has brown 
hair and blue eyes. Marie is my best friend." 

A Game 

168. A conversation about games takes place first. A 
little is said about each one that the different children 
have chosen, so as to broaden their knowledge as much as 
possible. Afterward, the following questions are placed 
on the board : 

What do you call this game 1 ? How many persons play it? 

What do you use in the game? Name things j^ou do while 

playing the game. Why do you like it? Why do children like 
play better than work? Why is play good for even grown up 
people? Why is it not good for you to play all the time? 

An Invitation 

169. Write a note to a little friend, asking him or her 
to come to see you. State why you wish to have him or 
her come, and tell when you desire the visit or call to be 
made. The salutation should precede the note. This is 



120 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

not to be considered a letter, and hence the heading may- 
be omitted. 

A Pet 

170. A general discussion should precede any attempt 
at composition, and may be accompanied by some expres- 
sion of opinion on the part of the pupils as to what they 
think are appropriate statements to make. They should 
then be asked to shape their exercise somewhat after the 
answers which are given the following questions : 

What is the name of this pet? Where did you get it 1 ? Why 
was it given to you? Where do you put it at night? Why do 
you like it? Is it of any value to you or to any one else? Write 
a short story about it. 

Corn 

171. For a preliminary talk procure an ear of corn for 
study. Let the discussion include : 

The number of rows of grains — when planted — how soon the 
stalk rises from the ground — parts of the plant — stalk — blades — 
position of blades — tassel — silk — ear — how the weeds ai*e destroyed 
— the cultivator — the hoe — the drill — the cutter — husking — where 
the corn is taken — the granary. 

Uses of Corn 

172. What animals like it — how it is fed to them — corn meal 
— what is that meal used for — pone — mush — how eaten — table 
corn, or roasting ears — how prepared for eating — what may be 
told about broom corn? 

It will be a good plan to give the pupils more than one 
day for each topic. Be sure that the work is corrected at 
the time it is written. 



THE FOURTH GRADE 121 

Parts of Things — Series 

173. The days of the week are 

The parts of a full grown stalk of corn are 

The months of the year are 

The parts of a bicycle are (name six) 

The parts of a house are (name eight) 

The parts of a wagon are (name five) 

The parts of a watch are 

The parts of a slate are 

The parts of a chair are 

The seasons of the year are 

Five forms of water are 

The chief points of the compass are 

The parts of your teacher's desk are 

Poem for Study 

October's Bright Blue Weather 

174. suns and skies and clouds of June, 

And flowers of June together, 
Ye cannot rival for one hour 
October's bright blue weather. 

When loud the bumble-bee makes haste, 

Belated, thriftless vagrant, 
And golden-rod is dying fast, 

And lanes with grapes are fragrant ; 

When gentians roll their fringes tight 

To save them for the morning, 
And chestnuts fall from satin burrs 

Without a sound of warning; 

When on the ground red apples lie 

In piles like jewels shining, 
And redder still on old stone walls 

Are leaves of woodbine twining; 



122 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

When all the lovely wayside things 
Their white-winged seeds are sowing, 

And in the fields, still green and fair, 
Late aftermaths are growing; 

When springs run low, and on the brooks, 

In idle golden freighting, 
Bright leaves sink noiseless in the hush 

Of woods for winter waiting; 

When comrades seek sweet country haunts 

By twos and twos together, 
And count like misers, hour by hour, 

October's bright blue weather. 

suns and skies and flowers of June, 

Count all your boasts together ; 
Love loveth best of all the year 

October's bright blue weather. 

— Helen Hunt Jackson 

Why say suns? Why say together? What is a rival? In what 
way are June and October rivals? Why should the bumble- 
bee make haste? Explain thriftless. Why is he a vagrant? In 
what way do the grapes make the lanes fragrant? 

Letter Writing 

175. The envelope of the practiced letter writer is 
always easily distinguished. The lines are straight and 
horizontal without any painful effort to have them so, and 
they occupy a position which makes the whole symmetrical. 
The envelope, directed by one who writes perhaps only 
half a dozen letters in a year and who has had little or no 
training in this matter, usually presents a faulty appear- 
ance. Let there be training of the proper kind and amount 
in drawing the exact size of the envelope to be used and 
in placing the address thereon, 



THE FOURTH GRADE 123 

Subject Matter of the Letter 

176. Pupils may occasionally be allowed the privilege 
of choosing their own subjects. This usually works well, 
for in such cases there is seldom a dearth of thought pro- 
duction. Here the several qualities of continuity, equi- 
poise of sentences, and logical development must receive 
attention, as they should in other grades. Then there are 
routine subjects on which it is expected all the pupils will 
write, and where expression on the part of those who are 
slow must be encouraged in such ways as the teacher will 
think best. Among them may be the following : 

Write a letter to your grandmother, telling her what you did 
on Saturday. 

Write a letter to your teacher, telling her why you have not 
been at school during the past three days. 

Write a letter to your aunt who lives in Cleveland, Ohio, tell- 
ing about the illness of your mother and her recovery, together 
with the hard time you had while she was sick. 

Write a letter from Washington, Pa., to your mother, in which 
you describe the visit she has allowed you to make to your friend 
Ella Powers. 

Write a letter to one of your friends who lives in the country, 
telling him or her what you did on Halloween. 

Write a letter to your cousin Myra Stenger, who lives at 1302 
Forest Street, Cincinnati, Ohio, telling her the good things you 
had to eat on Thanksgiving Day. 

Write a letter to Santa Claus, telling him what you would 
like for Christmas, and what you want him to give some of your 
poor neighbors. 

Write a letter to your uncle who lives in the country, accepting 
an invitation to spend a week with him. 

Your father is away on a business trip. Your mother is about 
to send him a letter, and asks you if you wish to write him a 



124 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

few lines to accompany it. You may tell him what you have 
been doing since he left home, and how much you miss him. 

You have unnecessarily offended one of your playmates. Write 
a letter asking his pardon and telling how it happened that you 
lost your temper as you did. 

Write a letter to one of your schoolmates, describing what 
you saw and what you did on the Fourth of July. 

Write a letter to William Smith, Greenfield, Kentucky, whom 
you visited during vacation. Tell him how much you enjoyed 
your visit, and extend an invitation to him to spend Christmas 
with you. 

Write a letter to Houghton Mifflin Co., inclosing fifty cents 
and asking them to send you a copy of "The Birds' Christmas 
Carol." 

Your mother would like her laundress to come to your house 
on Tuesday instead of on Monday. Write a letter in your own 
name, requesting her to make the desired change. 

Write a letter to a playmate who has been away from school 
for several days on account of illness. Tell him how sorry you 
are, and express the hope that he will soon be able to return. 

Skeleton Stories 
177. Pupils are often interested in completing a story, 
the main features of which have been suggested by the 
teacher. The following will serve as examples : 

May's Sled Ride 
Fred — sled for Christmas present — sister May — six years old — 
took her out riding — ran fast — turned corner quickly — May fell 
in deep snow — laughter — got on again — rode home. 

The Fox and the Stork 

Fox and stork — good friends — fox invited stork to dinner — 
only soup — flat dish — stork could not eat — fox laughed — had all 
to himself. 

Stork invited fox — had soup — in bottle — fox could not eat — 
stork laughed — had all to himself — lesson to be learned from 
story. 



THE FOURTH GRADE 125 

A Rude Boy 

Old gentleman — dressed in old-fashioned clothes — in old sleigh 
— passed through village — rude boys snowballed him — George one 
of them — called the old man names — hit him with hard snowball — 
struck him with stick — old man injured — finally got away — 
George went home — found the old man there — grandfather — had 
never seen him before — his punishment — lesson. 

The Blacksmith 

178. Have you seen a blacksmith shop"? What does the 
blacksmith do? Name some of the things he makes. What is 
the forge? The bellows? The anvil? Why do you think he is 
called a blacksmith ? Read the poem, ' ' The Village Blacksmith, ' ' 
by Longfellow, and talk it over with your teacher so that you 
may understand it better. 

A Visit to a Menagerie 

179. Where was it? With whom did you go? Were you 
afraid? Why? What was the largest animal you saw? The 
smallest? Did any of them seem quiet? Did any of them give 
utterance to sounds? What is the language of the lion? Of the 
bear? Of the wild cat? Of the elephant? Of the horse? Of 
the mouse? Of the hen? Of the duck? Of the eagle? Of 
the bee? Write what you consider an interesting story about 
any one of these. 

Bricks 

180. What is the shape of a brick? How is it shaped? Of 
what is it made? In what is it placed after it has been shaped? 
How is it hardened? Describe at least three uses. What story is 
related in the Bible about the making of bricks? What is the 
man who lays bricks called? 

Our Clothes 

181. Use as a series in your first sentence the names of the 
different kinds of material of which clothing is made. What kinds 
of cloth are used in men's and boys' clothing? In girls' and 



126 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

women's? What is the source of each? In what way do you 
think clothing keeps the body warm? Perhaps your teacher will 
tell you another way, so that you may place it in your composition 
also. 

The Wind 

182. What is wind ? What is the cause of wind ? What is the 
east wind? What does it bring? What is the south wind? What 
does it bring? What is the west wind? What does it bring? 
What is the north wind? What does it always bring? What is 
a breeze? What is a cyclone? What is a hurricane? Why do 
you like the wind on a warm day? Why is a brisk wind un- 
pleasant in the winter? What is the wind on the sea good for? 
Name several ways in which it is of account on land. How fast 
does the wind often travel in a great storm? What harm can it 
do then? What effect has the wind on water? 

leave let 

183. A very common fault is the use of leave for let 
when it is intended to convey the idea of permission. Prac- 
tice in such forms as the following will tend to eradicate 
the trouble : 

Mamma, please me go with Ernest. 

I you go yesterday, but I cannot you go today. 

Mr. Holmes wishes to for New York tomorrow morning. 

me here for an hour; then you may return. 

I do not think it is safe to you alone, with no one near. 

Do me alone. 

the door open. 

the door stay open. 

wait on wait for 

184. A great many people say "wait on" when they mean 
"wait for." Wait on means to do something for a person in 
the way of serving him. A waiter waits on diners in restaurants, 
hotels, and boarding houses; the maid waits on her mistress; 
the clerk waits on his customers; but one person waits for an- 
other when he remains in a place until the other comes to him. 



THE FOURTH GRADE 127 

These sentences, children, will show you when you are to use one 
and when the other if you will but study them carefully : 

Wait me, Tom ; I wish to speak to you. 

Will you wait the comer me? 

Miss Seldon is the clerk who waited me. 

Your uncle is at the table, Stella; wait him until Mary 

comes in. 

shall will 

185. Use shall before I and we in asking questions; use the 
same word in telling what you expect to do; use will when you 
are determined to do a thing. Supply the correct words in the 
following sentences: 

I close the door? 

I help you with that problem? 

I start the first thing in the morning. 

I promise you I go. 

I certainly stay at home. 

I be glad to go with you. 

we take the dog along? 

When we use you, he, she, they, as subjects of sentences similar 
to the foregoing, we should substitute will for shall, and shall for 
will. 

you close the door? 

you help me with that problem? 

You start the first thing in the morning. 

You certainly stay at home. 

Where you be in ten minutes from now? 

Comparison 

186. With the words sweet, tall, young, heavy, soft, small, 
dark, good, bad, large, as suggestions, complete these sentences : 

This stone is than the others. 

Joe can draw a picture than I. 

Your orange is than mine, but mine is the 

Would you p refer cloth of a shade? 

The of the two children has the lessons. 

I shall take the apple. 



128 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Poem for Study 

A Springtime Wish 

187. Oh, to be a robin 

In the spring! 
When the fleeting days of April 

Are a-wing, 
And the air is sweet with knowing 
Where the hidden buds are growing, 
And the merry winds are going 

Wandering ! 

Oh, to be a robin 

With a nest 
Built upon the budding branches — 

East or west ! 
Just to swing and sway and dangle 
Far from earth and all its tangle, 
Joining in the gay bird jangle 

With a zest ! 

Oh, to be a robin — 

Just to sing! 
Not to have the pain of hating 

Anything. 
Just to race the foremost swallow 
Over hill and over hollow — 
And the joy of life to follow 

Through the spring ! 

Isabel Ecclestone Hackay 

Manners and Morals 

188. Write five rules of conduct that should be observed at 
the table. 

Write three rules that should govern behavior in the schoolyard. 
Give three reasons why a pupil should take care of his books. 
Mention five circumstances under which you would say ' ' Excuse 
me," or "Pardon me." 



THE FOURTH GRADE 129 

Explain the proper position for a pupil at his desk, and state 
two reasons why you think so. 

If you meet Mr. Miller, which is the more polite greeting to 
use, ' ' Good morning, " or ' ' Good morning, Mr. Miller ' ' *? 

What are the principal forms of greeting within and without 
the schoolroom'? Illustrate each by means of a sentence. 

The Paragraph 

189. No satisfactory rules can be given for paragraph- 
ing because individual opinions differ widely. What one 
writer considers proper material for one paragraph may 
be divided by another into two or more ; therefore this 
general direction is all that is required for fourth grade 
pupils : 

When you come to what appears to be a change in the trend 
of your thoughts, begin a new paragraph. 

Pupils of this age are not inclined to pay much atten- 
tion to the division of their written work; consequently, 
in most cases, their manuscripts will consist of but one 
paragraph. 

The written conversation is a type of composition which 
allows no variation in paragraphing. The following exer- 
cises, arranged according to the directions given, will serve 
as examples: 

What We Received at Christmas 

Write a conversation between two boys or two girls, in which 
they describe what they received at Christmas. Have each per- 
son in the dialogue speak at least six times. 

If the names of the speakers are not used as the subjects 
of said, answered, inquired, etc., there is no need of quo- 
tation marks, but if the names of the speakers are desired 
and quotation marks are not, each separate paragraph 



130 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

should be preceded by the name of the speaker under- 
scored. It will then be taken for granted that such words 
form no part of the conversation, and are employed only 
for the purpose just indicated. 

A Fire 

190. Write a conversation between two boys who are telling 
each other what they saw at a recent fire. Avoid the unnecessary 
use of "I saw." Instead of saying, "I saw the fireman," etc., 
say, "The fireman," etc. Undue repetition of words makes very 
tiresome reading. 

Abbreviations 

191. Fourth grade pupils should be familiar with the 
following classes of abbreviations, but they must remember 
that they are to be used sparingly in compositions. Exam- 
ples are given of four kinds : 

1. Arithmetical: bu., bl. or bbl., yd., ft., in., rd., pt., qt., oz., 
lb., civt., etc. (It will be observed that these begin with small 
letters.) 

. 2. Personal: Capt., Rev., Mr., Mrs., Dr., Col, Hon., Prof., 
Gen., Supt., Jr., Sr. 

3. Chronological: Names of months. 

4. General: P. 0., a. m., p. m., St., Ave. or Av., Co., C. 0. D., 
R. F. D., U. S. 

The last named division includes abbreviations of the 
names of states, but the pupils of this grade have need of 
comparatively few of these. 

Generally speaking, abbreviations are largely technical 
in their use and application. For example, we are accus- 
tomed to seeing those of the names of days only in almanacs 
or calendars; those of the names of months in calendars 
and in the headings of letters and newspaper dispatches ; 
those of titles and geographical names in headings and 



THE FOURTH GRADE 131 

envelope addresses; those of measures in arithmetical cal- 
culations. They do not belong definitely to general com- 
position, and pupils should be made to understand this 
fact. There are exceptions, of course, but if the writer 
is uncertain, he can make no mistake in using the full form 
of the word. Use the following or similar exercises : 

1. Construct a calendar for the current month. 

2. Address an envelope to Professor John Weston Freedman, 
Kansas City, Missouri. 

3. 



16 





= 


1 


100 




= 


1 


20 





= 


1 



4. Address an envelope to Mr. Solomon Carver, Post Office 
Box 129, Buffalo, New York. 

Letter Writing — The Salutation 

192. The pupil should now be able to employ a variety 
of salutations, but it is unnecessary to study more than he 
needs. Of course, the same principle will apply to almost 
all of them. For example, My dear Father, My dear 
Mother, or My dear Friend requires the last word in each 
to be capitalized, but not the word dear. They are punc- 
tuated as follows: 

My dear Mother: — I received your souvenir post card this 
morning. 

If the body of the letter begins on the next line, the dash 

should be omitted, thus : 

My dear Father: 

I have spent all the money you sent me, etc. 

Pupils should observe that, since they have but one 
mother, it is scarcely correct or truthful to address her as 



132 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

My dearest Mother. The intention of those who use it is 
probably to convey a greater degree of affection than the 
positive appears to them to afford. A moment's thought, 
however, will convince even a fourth grade pupil that its 
use is erroneous. 

rise rose (has, have, had) risen 

raise raised (has, have, had, is, was) raised 

193. Rise means to get up ; raise means to lift up or to make 
grow. Fill the blanks in the following sentences with the proper 
words : 

The farmer many vegetables in the course of the year, 

but he has to with the sun in order to get his work done. 

The river so high that many houses were flooded. 

They had already to leave when their father came for 

them,. 

She was too badly injured to from the ground. 

The sailor fell into the water, but his companions caught him 
the first time he . 

He his companion, who had fallen. 



194. Arrange and punctuate the following: 

Boston Mass December 31 1903 

Cleveland Ohio September 9 1904 

New York City June 5 1900 

2512 Sarah Street Scranton Pa February 15 1906 

Prof J B Stanton Columbus Ohio My dear Professor I am 
in receipt etc. 

125 S 25th St Pittsburgh Pa July 4 1908 Mr L F Jones 4826 
Euclid Ave Cleveland Ohio My dear Mr Jones 

The principles here involved are not too difficult for 
pupils of this grade, but the greater part of their practice 
should be in what they or their parents are most likely 
to use. 



THE FOURTH GRADE 133 

Make all necessary changes in this letter : 

Chicago Illinois October 20 1907 Dear Son I received your 
letter yesterday evening I am glad you are getting along so 
well in school tell your mamma that I expect to reach home 
on Friday afternoon your affectionate father John Waite 

get got 

195. Here is a word that we use oftener than is necessary. 
It creeps into our conversations in spite of ourselves. Let us 
think a little about it. John says, "I have got a dollar in 
my pocket." One word in his sentence should be omitted. 
Kepeat it without that word. Now, let us make up our minds 
that for today we will notice how many times we use the word 
get or got. William, kindly lend me your knife. 

I haven't got any, Miss Shepherd. 

Ah, ha! I caught you that time, William. Please answer 
me again. 

I haven't any, Miss Shepherd. 

But there are times when we may use these words. Fill the 
blanks in the following sentences with get or got, or with any 
other word that may give a more particular meaning: 

Harry a ball. While he was playing with it one day, 

it lodged on a roof where he could not it. He 

another boy to climb up on the roof for it. 

Did you any butter at the store? 

More Troublesome Verbs 

196. Use these verbs correctly in filling blanks in the following 
sentences : 



give 


gave 


(has, have, had, is, was) given 


drive 


drove 


driven 


take 


took 


taken 


shake 


shook 


shaken 


break 


broke 


broken 


Have you - 


your 


medicine yet, and was it we! 


before you — 


- it? 





134 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Wilson is the team today, he it yesterday, also. 

Where was the child after it had been hurt? 

The horses were too fast. 

You have me too much change. 

Do not the string. 

Excuse me; I had it before you spoke to me. 

Grant the window with a snowball. 

How did you your arm? 

I it by falling over a barrel. 

It was once before in almost the same place. 

The Pumpkin 

197. Draw a picture of a pumpkin in the upper left-hand 
corner of your paper. Care is to be taken that in form and 
color it shall represent what you intend. The description of 
this vegetable should begin with the seed; where the farmer 
usually plants it; Avhat sort of plant it becomes; some of the 
varieties of the pumpkin ; when it ripens ; a few of the uses to 
which it is put; its value as an animal food; its attraction for 
boys at Halloween. 

Frost 

198. Where have you seen frost? In which month does it 
first come? In which does it disappear? What is frost? What 
is the difference between it and snow? On what objects is 
frost most likely to collect? If the cold is not severe enough, 
we do not see the frost — what do we see? Why is the farmer 
afraid of frost in the spring? What are some of its effects? 
Where may frost be seen in its most beautiful forms? 

Study the poem, "The Frost," by Hannah F. Gould, be- 
ginning with 

"The frost looked forth one still, clear night." 
Snow 

199. A fourth grade boy or girl should have many 
interesting things to say on this subject. An explanation 
of the cause of snow, or how it happens that snow and 
not rain falls, will serve as an introduction; then may 



THE FOURTH GRADE 135 

come the uses of snow to the farmer and the gardener. 
The pupils will doubtless be able to demonstrate its value 
to themselves, and this will perhaps prove to be the most 
enjoyable part of the composition to them. Something may 
be said of those countries in which snow never falls, par- 
ticularly with reference to what the people lose and gain 
on account of this fact. 

A Ramble Along a Stream 

200. Nothing can be more delightful to a boy than a 
ramble along a stream which affords just enough danger 
to be spicy, just enough attraction to make him forgetful 
of all else. A thousand points of interest meet his eager 
eye : the water, with its shallows and sudden depths ; the 
trees, with their sweet-tongued inhabitants; the fish, with 
their tantalizing shyness and boldness; the lights; the 
shadows — here is true enjoyment for the city boy who can 
get far enough away from his ordinary environment to 
test the pleasures of a country stream. Let the girls as 
well as the boys write about it. If they have not had the 
experience of such a ramble, permit their imaginations 
to assist them. 

After the writing of the composition, study the follow- 
ing poem with your pupils ; both boys and girls will like it : 

A Boy's Song 

Where the pools are bright and deep, 
Where the gray trout lies asleep, 
Up the river and over the lea, 
That's the way for Billy and me. 

Where the blackbird sings the latest, 
Where the hawthorn blows the sweetest, 
Where the nestlings chirp and flee, 
That 's the way for Billy and me. 



136 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Where the mowers mow the cleanest, 
Where the hay lies thick and greenest, 
There to trace the homeward bee, 
That's the way for Billy and me. 

Where the hazel bank is steepest, 
Where the shadow falls the deepest, 
Where the clustering nuts fall free, 
That's the way for Billy and me. 

Why the boys should drive away 
Little sweet maidens from their play, 
Or love to banter and fight so well, 
That's the thing I never could tell. 

But this I know, I love to play, 
Through the meadow, among the hay; 
Up the water and over the lea, 
That's the way for Billy and me. 

— James Hogg 

A Letter 

201. Draw a diagram of an envelope six and one-half 
inches long and three and one-half inches wide, and thereon 
place the address of your cousin Will Hooper, who lives at 
3521 Sylvan Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio. When this has been 
done, write a letter to him stating that you found the book 
he lost when visiting you two weeks ago. Tell where you found 
it, and ask him how you shall return it. Add such other mat- 
ters as will, in your judgment, prove to be entertaining. 

Combining 1 Sentences 

202. Require the pupils to combine each of the follow- 
ing groups of sentences into one which shall be simple, 
complex, or compound : 

Mary is a little girl only ten years old. She always knows 
her lessons. 

The eagle is a very large bird. It can carry a heavy weight 
in its claws. 



THE FOURTH GRADE 137 

Washington was the first President of the United States. He 
was born in Virginia, on the 22nd of February, 1732. 

I have a Newfoundland dog. He has shaggy hair. I have 
great fun with him every day. 

It will be observed that these sentences, and others like 
them, may be combined in different ways. For example, 
we may say: 

"Mary, who is a little girl onty ten years old, always knows 
her lessons"; or, 

"Although Mary is a little girl only ten years old, she 
always knows her lessons"; or, 

"Mary is a little girl only ten years old, but she always 
knows her lessons." 

It will not be wise ,to make this form of composition a 
task which may cause dislike if repeated too often. Just 
enough should be given to show the pupil that he can bring 
about a pleasing variety of sentences by sometimes chang- 
ing from one type to another. His attention once called 
to this fact, he will probably take pleasure in using differ- 
ent forms simply because he sees he has the power of 
doing so. 

Reproduction 

203. While written composition is becoming more 
important to the pupil as he advances through the grades, 
oral work should not be slighted. He must not lose the 
faculty of reproducing at length and in detail standard 
selections which he himself has read, or has heard read. 
Occasionally the story will be studied privately by a mem- 
ber of the class who has been assigned to prepare a synop- 
sis for the benefit of his fellows. In other cases it will 
perhaps be recited by the teacher^ or by individual pupils 
in the presence of the class. Much depends upon the 
selection itself, but in general it is well to have each one 



138 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

read it or hear it read in its original form, so that its 
literary beauty may be shared by all alike. The appended 
list is considered an appropriate one for this grade : 

The Story of Moses. Bible 

The Stoiy of the Flood. Bible 

Horatius at the Bridge. Baldwin: Fifty Famous Stories 
Retold 

The Bell of Atri (poem). Longfellow 

The Bell of Atri. Baldwin: Fifty Famous Stories Retold 

Dick Whittington and His Cat. Baldwin: Fifty Famous 
Stories Retold 

The Good Samaritan. New Testament 

Washington and the Corporal. Baldwin 

The Snow Image. Hawthorne 

Robert Bruce and the Spider. Baldwin 

Sir Walter Raleigh. Baldwin: Fifty Famous Stories Retold 

Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp. Arabian Nights 

Raggylug. Bryant: How to Tell Stories to Children 

King Arthur's Sword. Bryant: How to Tell Stories to 
Children 

A Diary 

204. It will be well, some time within the course of the 
year, to set aside one week for the purpose of keeping a 
diary, and the plan to be pursued should be similar to 
that suggested for the third grade (Section 115). What 
effect in the formation of fixed habits this may have on 
the individual pupil depends upon his bent of mind, but 
there is no doubt that if people generally were to place in 
chronological order the chief events of their lives, or t>f 
the lives of those immediately connected with them, in- 
cluding, perhaps, mention of great national occurrences, 
they would have at hand a record of real value which 
could be consulted at any time. Two considerations are 
necessary for this purpose ; one purely physical, the other 
mental. A book suited to the keeping of a diary, large 



THE FOURTH GRADE 139 

enough to contain records for at least a year, even if the 
events are detailed at length, is preferable to scraps of 
paper, almanacs, and the like. The mental necessity is 
the determination to keep up the work after it has been 
begun, a quality in which so many young people are lack- 
ing. The schools can do no more than what has been sug- 
gested in the section just referred to, and for school pur- 
poses nothing more is to be desired. 

Dramatization 

205. Although pupils of this age are more likely to be 
self-conscious than are those of the lower grades, they 
may be led to overcome this form of shyness and to enter 
into the spirit of the play with enthusiasm. For example, 
pretended trips to mercantile establishments can be made 
exceedingly realistic, and it will be both entertaining and 
profitable to include the counting out of change in these 
pseudo shopping expeditions. Then, again, there are the 
familiar stories in their reading books, as well as others 
which have inherent dramatic qualities. No list is given 
here, for the reason that the foregoing hints should pro- 
vide sufficient material for this feature of language work. 

Subject and Predicate 

206. Although the following pairs or groups of words sound 
awkward when read, they are nevertheless sentences, or, rather, 
they are skeletons of sentences. You are to examine them so 
as to answer what will be asked of you. 

flowers grow bird sings 

children come cake tastes 

picture hangs balloon rose 

train ran ship sailed 

Mr. Smith raises Cora recited 

Can you name the things talked about in the first sentence? 



140 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Who are the persons talked about in the second"? 
Mention the persons or things talked about in each of the 
others. 

The name of the person or thing talked or written about in 
a sentence is called the subject. 

Name the subject of each sentence, and state why it is the 
subject, thus: 

"Flowers is the subject because it is the name of the 
things talked about." 
What is said of the subject in the first sentence? 
Tell what is said of the subject in each of the other sentences. 
We call this part of the sentence the predicate, because the 
predicate is that which is said or written about the subject. 

Name the predicate of each sentence, using some such plan 
as this: 

"Groiv is the predicate of the first sentence, because it is 
what is said about the subject, flowers." 

The foregoing drill is intended merely to explain the 
meaning of the names subject and predicate, so that the 
pupils may apply them understandingly. If thought best, 
what is called the object may be introduced in the same 
manner. The chief advantages to be derived from employ- 
ing such terms are directness of expression and economy 
in the use of words. The teacher may say to the pupils: 

You have been told that these sentences are only skeletons; 
you are required to add flesh and blood so as to make them 
sound better and tell more. The "flesh and blood" will consist 
of words, or groups of words. Perhaps the following queries 
will assist you : 

What kind of flowers are they 1 ? Where do they grow? Who 
may Mr. Smith and Cora be 1 ? Of what was the cake made 1 ? What 
is the picture, and where does it hang 1 ? 

The object of this exercise is to stimulate the imagina- 
tion in the search for suitable words and thereby to obtain 
ready response along lines that should result in good when 
regular composition work is attempted. 



THE FOURTH GRADE 141 

Morals and Manners 

207. It has been said that "politeness goes far, yet 
costs nothing." Hence, a lesson in courtesy never comes 
amiss. Compositions should treat of it, conversations should 
be devoted to it, and the general air of the schoolroom 
should breathe of it. The teacher may run the risk of 
annoying pupils who have not been accustomed to observ- 
ing rules of etiquette in their contact with their fellows, 
but diplomatic procedure will in most cases win the day. 
If she can present a model in the person of her own self, 
she is more likely to do effective work in this phase of 
instruction. 

Descriptions 

208. In describing an article with which you are 
familiar, it will be advisable to employ an outline similar 
to the following: 

1. Of what it is made. 

2. Its parts. 

3. Of what the parts are made, and the use of each. 

4. The name applied to the person who makes it. 

5. What prices are paid for it. 

Particular descriptions may be added if the article 
differs greatly from the common type. 

General Information 

209. "Write suitable answers to these questions: 

1. Who is the President of the United States? 

2. When was he inaugurated 1 ? 

3. Who is the Governor of your State 1 ? 

4. Who is the Mayor of your city or of the city nearest you .' 

5. Who is the superintendent of your schools \ 

6. Who is the principal of your school 1 ? 



142 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

7. Who is your minister 1 ? 

8. Who is your physician? 

Subjects for Composition 

210. In choosing topics for composition, do not neglect 
those which aid in the cultivation and development of 
the imagination. A number of that kind will be found in 
the appended list, and they will doubtless prove of interest 
to pupils of this grade. 

The Adventures of a Quarter The Story of a Squirrel 

What the Frost Did A Present, and What Became 

A Story of Lincoln of It 

How to Make a Snow Man The Stoiy of a Dog 

A Story of Robinson Crusoe How a Little Boy Was Kind 

A Letter from the Grass to the to an Old Person 

Lawnmower A Story of Christopher Colum- 

Why I Like Winter bus 

Why I Like Summer What I Saw on a Street Corner 

A Trip Our Class Took How to Set a Table 

What I Found in My Pocket, Some Rules to Remember While 

and How It Got There on a Visit 

Which Schoolmate I Like Best, The Story of Noah and the Ark 

and Why My Name Is Fido 

What I Did Last Evening An Article I Made 

A Fourth of July Balloon The Story of a Pebble 

A Short Review 

211. When should you avoid the use of got? Reconstruct 
these sentences: 

I haven't got any money for you today. 
I ain't got no pen. 

He got a suit of clothes for ten dollars. 
I can't get my lessons. 

Use in sentences: no, know, to, too, two. 

Use in questions: there, their, here, hear, new. 



THE FOURTH GRADE 143 

Fill blanks with love or like: 

I my mother. Children ice cream. Does Mary 

to play with her dolls? 

Punctuate : 

Have you seen a monkey a zebra an antelope or a lion 

Apples oranges peaches and plums are fruits 

William said mamma where is my hat 

It is in the bookcase answered his mother 

Tell in ten or fifteen lines the story of ''The Fox in the Well." 
Use seen, saw, wrote, written, and went in sentences. 
Fill the blanks with words which denote possession : 

I saw mother this morning. 

The hat is beautiful. 

Can you tell how the wing was broken? 

The mane is black. 

The dentist filled the tooth. 

Use in a sentence the date of your last birthday. 
Write abbreviations for the following: afternoon, doctor, 
superintendent, collect on delivery, rural free delivery. 

Write this question and answer it by yes or no alone: Have 
you been invited to the party? Now answer it, using yes or no, 
with other words. 

Write in a sentence the names of three books or poems that 
you have read or studied. 

Use these words in sentences to indicate ownership: horse, 
cows, tramp, babies, men, boys, children, ivoman. 
Use lays or lies in the following blanks: 

The baby her head on the dog, and the dog still 

until she gets up. 

Joe awake nearly all night on Christmas Eve, but 

on other nights he is asleep almost as soon as he his 

head on the pillow. 

Fill the blanks in each of the following sentences with proper 
forms of the same verb: 

I fast yesterday, but I cannot at all today 

because I have a sore foot. 

I saw John his pencil, but it was before I could 

stop him. 



144 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

I him before he could me. 

John the piece of pie before I could say, "Do not 

it." 

The right word in the right place : broken, drive, took, shaken, 
shook. 

The boys have all the apples from the tree. 

Alma has her doll's head. 

A violent wind the house. 

Do you like to horses'? 

The selfish child all the toys. 



CHAPTER V 

THE FIFTH GRADE 

Outline of Work 

212. 1. Review essentials 

2. Additions to the list of "n" verbs 

3. Additions to the list of homonyms, with suit- 

able sentences for review 

4. The study of selected poems 

5. Reproductions 

6. Conversations 

7. Synonyms 

8. Distinguishing words 

9. The use of prepositions 

10. Notes and letter writing 

11. Directions for work in composition 

12. Practical topics for composition 

13. The diary 

14. Imaginative composition 

15. Skeleton stories 

16. Morals and manners 

Errors 

213. Do you say: 

I shall try and go 1 ? 
Don't she look nice 1 ? ' 

Was you going to the store when I saw you? 
Listen at the music 1 ? 
It is a long ways to town? 
I will not go without you go? 
' 145 



146 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

John hadn't ought to be saucy to his mother 1 ? 
Little Henry said, "I'm scared of the dog"? 
Sure, I'll be there? 
Hello, Miss Steele? 

Whenever he reached the appointed place last Saturday he 
found the farmer waiting' on him? 



Technical Terms 

214. "While it may not be necessary for pupils of this 
grade to give set definitions for these terms, they should 
in no case be allowed to use them without knowing exactly 
what they mean. Words and tools are very much alike in 
this respect: they are bound to react disastrously when 
handled without knowledge or discretion. 

1. Noun, pronoun, possessive, possession 

2. Declarative, interrogative, imperative 

3. Subject, predicate, object 

4. Verb : present, past, future 

5. Adjective, adverb 

6. Preposition, connective 

7. Phrase, clause 

8. Quotation, quotation marks 

Punctuation and Capitalization 

215. well she sighed theres certainly comfort in you 
yes you are he said in a soothing voice 

when where and how he did this no one could tell 
misery loves company but company doesnt usually love 
misery 

rocked in the cradle of the deep 

i lay me down in peace to sleep 

oh no i cannot tell you that 

i shall mow the grass and cut down the weeds 

mary is in the garden and frank is at the post office 



THE FIFTH GRADE 147 

Morals and Manners 

216. For suggestions regarding these topics the teacher 
is referred to the work as outlined in the preceding grades. 
The fifth year pupil is not materially different from the 
fourth, and a similar course of tactful instruction should 
be effective in his case. 

A Skeleton Story 

217. Mary and her cousin Josephine — intimate friends — 
took walk — woods — birds — flowers — stream — foot log — Mary 
careless — fell — wet— Josephine rescued her — sat on bank — 
dried shoes and stockings — ate lunch — good time — home. 

Diary 

218. This form of composition may be pursued with 
profit in the fifth grade. Directions have been given in 
the third and the fourth years' work, and the same general 
plan may be followed here. The pupils should be able to 
make comments of an interesting character on the various 
happenings which go to form the week's record. 

The Arrow and the Song 

219. If the teacher considers ' ' dissection ' ' of this poem 
necessary, she should by all means "dissect" it; that is, 
if that word means study and explanation. Some wise 
people who think that poems should be swallowed whole 
will perhaps object, but a reasonable amount of discussion 
will make many obscure points clear, with a consequently 
increased enjoyment of this gem. 

A principal tells the story that once upon a time he 
asked the pupils of every room under his charge to learn 
"In September," and in the course of his rounds he heard 



148 



LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 



it recited individually and in concert. Not being satis- 
fied with mere recitation, he proceeded by questioning 
to ascertain whether or not the poem was really under- 
stood. He found that there were pupils as far advanced 
as the sixth grade who failed to comprehend, and hence 
to explain, the meaning of 

"And asters by the brookside 
Make asters in the brook." 

This was proof to him that swallowing even poems with- 
out "dissection" has much the same effect upon mental 
digestion that swallowing food without mastication has 
upon the physical digestion. 

The "n" Verbs 

220. In the following verbs the participles, seen, lain, 
etc., are always preceded by the helpers, has, have, had, is, 
was, etc. In giving the different forms of these verbs 
always remember to use one of these helpers with the par- 
ticiple. A number of these verbs are given : 



see 


saw 


seen 


throw 


threw 


thrown 


lie 


lay 


lain 


fall 


fell 


fallen 


steal 


stole 


stolen 


go 


went 


gone 


draw 


drew 


drawn 


do 


did 


done 


shake 


shook 


shaken 


eat 


ate 


eaten 


take 


took 


taken 


speak 


spoke 


spoken 


break 


broke 


broken 


rise 


rose 


risen 


give 


gave 


given 


hide 


hid 


hidden 


% 


flew 


flown 


freeze 


froze 


frozen 


know 


knew 


known 


weave 


wove 


woven 



In addition to these, the pupils have probably had prac- 
tice on the following: 



drink 


drank 


drunk 


ring 


rang 


sung 


run 


ran 


run 


corue 


came 


come 


spring 


sprang 


sprung 


sing 


sang 


rung 



THE FIFTH GRADE 149 

They have likewise been taught the use of verbs which 
have the same form for the past tense and past participle, 
the most common being found in the subjoined list: 



sit 


sat 


sat 


weep 


wept 


wept 


teach 


taught 


taught 


creep 


crejot 


crept 


feed 


fed 


fed 


hang 


hung 


hung 


sleep 


slept 


slept 


think 


thought 


thought 



Homonyms 

221. The appended sentences contain thirty-five sets 
of homonyms in general use, and their construction is such 
that the proper words may be supplied with but little help 
from the teacher: 

I shall stand and call until the other boys me. 

mother is standing right over . 

My is told to rise with the every morning, but 

he seldom does so. 

The excited man the lamp -the window. 

He the book was not , nevertheless he sold it. 

Willie was told go the store for pounds of 

butter, but he was lazy go. 

I'll my reputation that that is not fresh; the 

butcher must have had it for days. 

"Where are you going, my pretty V 1 She a bow 

and said she was going a-milking. 

You do not often see a tree standing on the . 

I'll stand in the and ask the question, "What is an 

1» 

I do not feel that it is to an excuse and sign my 

mother's name to it. 

I have gone if I had had time, but I do not care a 

for such performances. 

A bird cannot far with a wing. 

A dress of the latest was ruined by the wearer who was 

trying to cross that . 

I the blind man to the store, where he bought a 

pencil. 



150 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

The beauty of that horse is his . 

Just for me until I find out my correct . 

Before he could the bark from the willow tree, he 

heard the of the school bell. 

A lump of coal was thrown into the . 

The old man said that was the heaviest fall of 

he had ever seen. 

The of the village often tolled the for her father. 

who was the sexton. 

You must this seam just . 

The party down the on their wheels, and then 

across the river in a boat. 

It did not to take long to sew the . 

He was afraid to say , but the horse was not afraid 

to . 

I had not enough money to the hat, so I stood 

and saw another it. 

The sexton the bell as soon as he was to do so. 

I lost my when I was ing the clothes. 

The of the new school building is not within . 

The wind off the boy's hat. 

Fred must be a very greedy boy, for he apples 

yesterday. 

I have just ■ prize, and expect to win another before 

the day is over. 

It is a great to be able to jump seven . 

I had never before such a as I then beheld on the 

stage. 

I have not yet the book with the cover. 

fix arrange repair 

222. Fix means to fasten or to make firm ; arrange means to 
put in order; repair means to mend. Study the definition of 
each of these words and fill the blanks in the following sen- 
tences : 

Please dust the room and the books on the table. 

James is the flag to the top of the staff. 

Has the time for our picnic been ? 

Joe spent the whole morning his bicycle. 



THE FIFTH GRADE 151 

I wish you would those letters in order of their dates. 

Will you the curtain so that it will not fall? 

I took my shoes to the shoemaker to have them . 

Study of Poem— "The First Snowfall" 

223. Here is a beautiful and much loved poem which 
is suitable for a number of the grades. It will not be nec- 
essary to write a composition about it, for that would per- 
haps have the effect of destroying, for the writer, the real 
warp and woof of Lowell's creation. Let it be memorized 
and discussed. Make its meaning clear. 

What the Chalk Saw 

224. A piece of crayon is the unnoticed witness of many a 
scene in the schoolroom. It is the object of this exercise to 
bring out the imaginative powers of the pupil by having him 
describe some of these scenes. 

Conversation with a Butcher 

225. The pupil pretends that he is sent to the shop for a 
piece of meat and relates the conversation which ensues between 
the butcher and himself. Here will be found full opportunity 
for the use of correct punctuation, as well as for the hinging of 
answers to questions and of repartee to statements. If the 
teacher so desires, she may hold a preliminary conversation 
with her pupils regarding the best things to say; or, better 
still, a species of dramatization may be employed, in which one 
of the pupils shall act as the butcher while others become suc- 
cessive buyers. The conversation may end with the counting 
out of change by the butcher. 

Additional subjects for like exercises are herewith 
suggested : 

Conversation Between Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf 

Why Wilbert Wanted a Quarter 

Ernest Buys a Bicycle 

The Teacher Asks Some Questions 

The Ant and the Grasshopper 



152 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

A Visit 

226. Write a story telling about a visit you paid to your 
uncle or your grandmother in the country; what you did; what 
you saw; some experiences you had with the animals. 

Sentence Making 

227. It is not the most effective kind of teaching which 
allows the fifth grade pupil to construct the same form of 
sentence all the time. He must be brought to understand 
that if he wishes to render his work really enjoyable to his 
readers, he will pay due attention to variety of expression. 
He need not be told much about technical terms, but he 
should be taught to interpolate here and there a sentence 
constructed somewhat differently from those he is in the 
habit of making. He may likewise be asked to change sen- 
tences in his reader without altering their meaning. A 
few exercises, similar to the following, may be given him, 
with others which the teacher during the year may deem 
necessary : 

I stood on the bank of the river and watched the boats go by. 
What was I doing 1 ? 

Standing on the bank of the river. 
Let us see if we can use the word standing in that sentence 
by placing it at the beginning. 

Standing on the bank of the river, I watched the boats 
go by. 
Let us again make a change by using as for our first word. 
As I stood on the bank of the river, I watched the boats 
go by. 

After the pupil has become acquainted with the method 
just described, he may be asked to place a sentence of like 
pattern in his own composition, but he must be warned 
against using any particular form of sentence too fre- 



THE FIFTH GRADE 



153 



quently, for such a course would defeat the very object 
of the exercise; namely, the attainment of variety in sen- 
tence building. 

The Adjective Clause 

228. Some sentences contain adjectives that may be 
changed to adjective clauses, and others contain adjective 
clauses that may be changed to adjectives. A few exam- 
ples follow, the pupils being required to make the needed 
transformations. 

A wealthy man gave the beggar some money. 

A rose that is white pleases me better than one that is red. 

We entered a long and dark path. 

The boy who is industrious will always improve. 

There is a very handsome man. 

Synonyms 

229. Each word in the first and second columns has a syn- 
onym in the third or fourth column. Arrange these words in 
pairs, and place each word in a sentence. 



aid 


aged 


build 


hold 


contain 


brave 


mistake 


old 


error 


see 


help 


want 


great 


erect 


behold 


task 


gladden 


wish 


large 


please 


work 


procure 


bold 


obtain 


climb 


narrate 


tell 


mount 



Composition — My Mother Goes to Market 

230. Your mother goes to market, and you accompany her, 
actuated by the praiseworthy intention of helping her home with 
her purchases. It is therefore your present business to describe, 
with what minuteness you can, the incidents of the trip. You 
are to tell something of the care she took in making her selec- 
tions, the questions she asked in order to be certain that every- 



154 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

thing she thought of buying was of the quality desired, the 
articles she finally bought, what she paid for them, and the part 
you took in the affair. 

I Go to Market 

231. This time your mother is unable to go; but you have 
been with her on previous occasions, and you therefore know 
what to do. She has told you her wishes, and they will greatly 
aid you. You are to write what happened in a business way, 
and if you are able to add something you believe is amusing, so 
much the better. Remember that capitals, punctuation marks, 
and neat writing are aids to enjoyment in reading manuscripts, 
and it should be your object to have these as nearly perfect as 
possible. Then there are other essentials of composition to be 
considered — the most important of all — and these you can learn 
only by experience and practice: One sentence should lead to 
another in a natural way; things should be told in their proper 
order; the thought and its expression should be of such a char- 
acter that the composition, when completed, will be like a newly 
finished and furnished house — everything done correctly, and 
everything in its place. 

Paying- the Gas Bill 

232. Do you burn gas in your house? Which kind? How 
many kinds of gas are there? Why is each so called? What 
is the source of each? Have you ever paid a gas bill? How 
often is the bill sent to your parents? When must it be paid? 
Is a discount given? Why is that done? If the statement last 
month was 28,500 feet, and this month it is 32,000 feet, how 
much did you consume during the month? What do you have 
to pay for each thousand feet? In the above case, what was the 
amount of your bill after the discount was allowed? If you 
have ever paid the gas bill for your father, relate where you 
went and what you did. 

A Boy I Like, and Why I Like Him 

233. There is probably among your acquaintances one you 
like better than you do any of the others. There is something 



THE FIFTH GRADE 155 

about this person that attracts you, just as there is something 
about you that attracts him. You are required to tell why you 
like him; describe some of his qualities that have appealed to 
you; tell certain of the things he has said or done that have 
made you appreciate his society so highly. 

The Making of Maple Syrup 

234. For preliminary work, the pupils may be told to cut 
out of paper a representation of one of the steps in the process 
of maple syrup and sugar making, thus: Two forked uprights, 
with a horizontal pole joining them, are first prepared; suspended 
from the pole is a kettle in which the sap is placed; underneath 
are the pieces of wood, supposably in the burning state. This 
model is to be placed in the upper left-hand corner of the manu- 
script, or a similar one is to be drawn with pencil. The picture 
of a portion of a tree from which the sap is being taken may 
be substituted for the first mentioned. An account of the process 
will follow, which may be concluded by a statement of the reason 
why maple syrup and maple sugar are so often adulterated. 

An Oil Well 

235. In like manner, require the pupil to draw the picture 
of an oil derrick, and to follow that by a description of the 
several steps in oil production. Have him consider the location 
of oil fields; why derricks are needed; the manner of drilling 
wells; the depth of wells; the appearance of the oil as it comes 
from the ground; what articles are manufactured from crude 
oil; what is sometimes found instead of oil. 

Such topics as the foregoing can be used with profit in 
grades much higher than the fifth. 

Nature Study 

236. Composition work as related to nature study may 
be successfully carried on here, provided full opportmiity 
be given for observation. A pupil may be told to place a 



156 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

few grains of corn, wheat, or oats on a piece of cotton, 
which he is to put into a jar of water and watch from day 
to day. His description will begin as soon as he notices 
any changes, and these will be arranged in chronological 
order, merely as notes. When, in the opinion of the 
teacher, the development has progressed sufficiently, the 
whole is to be written in the form of a composition. Here 
he will be tempted to repeat many such words as and and 
then, but of course the supervisory work of the teacher will 
tend to eliminate errors of this kind. 

Much of what passes for nature study is not fit to be 
designated by so dignified and worthy a term. Observation 
has little or no part in it; memory is everything. This 
may be due to conditions over which the instructor has no 
control, or perhaps to imperfect methods of presentation 
on her own part; nevertheless, the intelligent and observ- 
ant teacher will find it possible to take her pupils into the 
country or into the woods, and there she will be able, if 
she be something of a nature student herself, to point out 
many of the wonderful things that lie about, ripe for dis- 
covery. Perhaps some of the appended topics will suggest 
a line of thought which will be profitable for teacher and 
pupil alike to follow. 

A Piece of Coal, and How It Was Formed 
A Piece of Rock, and How It Was Formed 
A Spring, and How It Came to Be One 
Seed Babies; What They Are, and What They Are For 
Seed Cradles; What They Are, and What They Are For 
Leaves; Kinds, Shapes, Uses, etc. 

A Weather Record; the Date, Temperature, Direction of the 
Wind, State of the Sky, etc. 
Study of the Spider 
Study of Bees 
Covering's of Animals 



THE FIFTH GRADE 157 

Poem for Study 

The Sandpiper 1 

237. Across the lonely beach we flit, 
One little sandpiper and I, 
And fast I gather, bit by bit, 

The scattered driftwood bleached and dry. 
The wild waves reach their hands for it, 

The wild wind raves, the tide runs high, 
As up and down the beach we flit, — 
One little sandpiper and I. 

Above our heads the sullen clouds 

Scud black and swift across the sky; 
Like silent ghosts in misty shrouds 

Stand out the white lighthouses high. 
Almost as far as eye can reach 

I see the close-reefed vessels fly, 
As fast we flit along the beach, — 

One little sandpiper and I. 

Celia Thaxter wrote this poem. It is an experience of her 
childhood. 

Near the shores of Cape Ann are the lonely Isles of Shoals. 
On one of them, in a great stone lighthouse, lived Celia, with her 
father and a little sandpiper as her only companions. I wonder 
if we can find these islands on the map. 

Explain the meaning of flit — of raves — of bleached.. Tell 
what you think is the meaning of "The wild waves reach their 
hands for it." 

What picture does the first stanza create in your minds'? 

Describe the scene suggested in the second stanza. What does 
scud mean? Why are the clouds called sullen? What other 
words tell of the coming storm % 

Read in the third stanza the lines which show the friendship 
between the bird and this little girl. What is the meaning of 
drapery f — of scans? What other word might the author have 
used instead of stanch? 

1 Uscd by permission of Houghton Mifflin Company. 



158 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

How does she manifest her sympathy for the little sandpiper 
in the last stanza? Read the last two lines; what truth does she 
set forth in them 1 ? Let us close our eyes and try to see the 
picture of the old lighthouse. Was it a lonely life? Is there 
any line in the last stanza that shows Celia was happy? 

There are four stanzas in this poem. You should learn all of it. 

Reproduction 

238. This subject may cover a wide range, but in gen- 
eral the selection should not be of great length. Among 
those which may be given pupils of this grade are : 

A book I have read. The description may apply to the 
whole book, to a part that especially appealed to the reader, 
or to a character that was much admired by him. 

Reproduction of a poem read to the pupils. This may 
not be interesting to them unless it has the thread of a story 
running through it. "The Pied Piper of Hamelin" is a 
good example ; and while it takes considerable time to read 
it, the written account need not be lengthy. 

Reproduction of poems read by the pupils. This will 
require care on the part of the writers not to use the exact 
wording of the selections. The necessity for employing 
the prose form, however, will overcome a large part of the 
difficulty. 

Reproduction of a story read by the teacher. Among 
the stories thus given may be included the following from 
the Bible: 

The story of Noah The story of Solomon 

The story of the Deluge The stoiy of the Plagues 

The story of Absalom The story of Saul 

The story of David The story of Elijah 

The story of Daniel The story of the Christ Birth 



THE FIFTH GRADE 159 

Reproduction of historical tales. These are innumerable, 
and it is scarcely necessary to mention any of them here. 
The well-informed teacher may be trusted to make the 
proper selections. 

Reproduction of myths. While in presenting stories of 
this type it is advisable, as a rule, to choose those that are 
not too profuse in detail, it must not be forgotten that 
Hawthorne has written especially attractive versions of the 
ancient myths in the volumes entitled ' ' Tangle wood Tales ' ' 
and the "Wonder-book for Boys and Girls," a perusal of 
either of which should prove a delight to the learner. 
Perhaps he will experience almost as great pleasure in 
reproducing some of these myths. 

Reproduction of fairy stories. This class of fiction ap- 
peals to old and young alike, but particularly to the pupils 
of the common schools. Indeed, who ever grows too eld 
or matter-of-fact to enjoy "Jack the Giant Killer," "Cin- 
derella," or any one of a hundred other tales which will 
continue to form a permanent and important part of our 
literature? It is certain that the fifth grade pupil will 
be interested sufficiently to reproduce some of these stories. 
Corrections for style and mechanical errors may be made 
by the children under direction of the teacher at the time 
of writing. 

When thought proper, oral reproduction may, of course, 
be substituted for the written. 

Blackboard Corrections 

239. Many teachers find it helpful to have certain of 
their pupils place their composition work on the black- 
board, so that all may see what has been written. Criticisms 
are offered by the pupils themselves, and suggestions are 



160 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

made by the teacher as to the improvements which may be 
effected in the structure of sentences and in the choice of 
words. By this method all obtain benefit from the dis- 
cussion. 

Comp osition — S olutions 

240. Natural (pure) water — where to be found — how it may 
be produced — the still — experiments with water as a solvent — 
placing sugar in water — lemon juice — vinegar — coffee — names of 
some substances that water does not dissolve — hard water — soft 
water — value of the solvent property of water — what effect heat 
has on the property— the effect of pulverization? 

Distinguishing Words 
to at 

241. We use to when we mean motion; we use at when no 
motion is implied. For example: 

We went his house, but he was not home. 

Were you church today % I went church in the morn- 
ing, but in the evening I took a walk the park. 

Susie remained home this morning because her mother 

was ill. 

Sarah went school before nine o 'clock, but remained 

school only an hour. 

Where have you been? I have been the store. 

Synonyms 

242. Write the following synonyms in pairs, and, after the 
necessary oral discussion, use them in sentences: 



peculiar 


find 


relate 


pardon 


praise 


drill 


peril 


torment 


order 


confess 


execute 


assemble 


command 


commend 


excuse 


tell 


discover 


strange 


practice 


danger 


tease 


acknowledge 


perform 


gather 



THE FIFTH GRADE 161 

Some Questions for Pupils 

243. In writing a series, what care is to be taken? 

What difficulty are you likely to have with and? 

What rule can you give for placing the sign of the possessive? 

If you were asked to tell what you saw on your way to 
school, what caution should you observe? 

What is often the cause of trouble in writing conversations? 

What is the rule for the case of address at the beginning of a 
sentence? — in the middle? — at the end? 

What is a good method of determining correctness of punctu- 
ation? 

oh 

■ 244. It is to be observed that does not require a punctu- 
ation mark; oh does, usually a comma or an exclamation point. 
is used in the solemn style, as in addressing the Deity; oh is 
used in expressing emotions of joy or sorrow. 

Lord of Hosts, we are in Thy hands. 
Oh, Jack! what have you broken now? 
Oh! isn't that a beautiful rose? 

Distinguishing Words 

in into 

245. We use in when we mean within, or inside of; we use 
into when we imply motion from the outside. 

When I saw him he was standing the street, but some 

one told me that he afterwards went the courthouse. 

Thomas was told not to come the house with soiled 



Put your hand your pocket, and see what you will find 

there. 

If I have two cents my pocket, and put three more 

cents it, how many cents will there be it then? 

diaries fell from yonder foot log the stream yesterday. 

The Mississippi River empties the Gulf of Mexico, 

We rode the country an automobile last week. 



162 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Directions for Work in Composition 

246. 1. An outline. The writing of a composition 
should not often be attempted in this grade until an out- 
line has been prepared by either the teacher or the pupil. 
This enables one to cover the ground as thoroughly as 
may be desired, and to avoid the confusion which is likely 
to arise from having more than one topic in mind at a 
time. 

2. Order. Particularize in sequence of time or natural- 
ness. Do not give part of a description, leave it for some- 
thing else, and then return to complete what should have 
been done before leaving it. Besides this, do not interrupt 
the chronological order of events by going back to relate 
something which should have been attended to in its proper 
place. 

3. Repetition. Guard against the excessive use of and, 
so, then. When your composition has been finished, 
search carefully for these words. If there are too many, 
discard some of them. Repetition of nouns is avoided 
by the use of pronouns ; there is just as urgent necessity 
for avoiding the repetition of other words; and this 
may be accomplished by omitting them or by selecting 
others which have a similar meaning. The too frequent 
use of a word is quickly noticed and gives offense to both 
eye and ear. 

4. Variety of sentence forms. Not only should we in- 
troduce the long sentence to obtain variety, but we should 
also take care that no particular form shall be used too 
often. The fifth grade pupil ought to be able to compre- 
hend the value of this quality in the construction of his 
sentences, and should be required to make use of his 
knowledge. A few examples are given for practice. Others 



THE FIFTH GRADE 163 

are to be provided by the teacher if she feels that they 
accomplish something in the matter of adding to the pupil's 
store of expression. 

I saw him coming into the room. 
In a year he will, be much taller. 
After a year's work Samuel will be much steadier. 
I saw him walking rapidly. 
Mary asked Susan where she was going. 
James was skating, and so was Thomas. 
I skated a while, and then sat down to rest. 
An intelligent boy could solve that problem in a few minutes. 
Do not undertake too much. 

Washington, who is often called the Father of his Country, 
was our first President. 

Peaches grow in the same localities as apples. 

The girl with curly hair is the prettiest one in the room. 

Why don't you come with me? 

Please tell me where Mr. Johnson lives. 

We fished at the bend of the river. 



Distinguishing Words 
shall will 

247. These words often give trouble, but pupils of this 
grade should have no great difficulty in gaining sufficient 
understanding of their use to guide them aright in the 
majority of cases. 

Where we have our picnic? 

I bring the book to you? 

I most certainly do what my teacher has told me. 

William go with you as soon as he has finished his 

breakfast. 

Mother said to Ernest. " you go to the store for me .'" 

Ernest refused; then she said, "You go." 

Thomas be made to do what he has refused to do. 



164 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Miscellaneous Exercises 
248. Insert clauses where the blanks occur: 

The dog was killed by a policeman. 

I shall take you with me . 

I am going to the ball game . 

The girl is the prettiest in the room. 

General Grant, , was elected President of the United 

States. 

Insert is, are, was, or were in the blanks : 

Mary and Emma invited to the party yesterday. 

• this kind of cherry sweet? 

the woman very angry? 

Willie and Ernest here today? 

Six times 2 12. 

Insert the proper words in the following : 

There 2 in 1 . 

There 10 in 1 . 

There 52 in 1 . 

There 8 in 1 



A Memory Gem 

249. The night has a thousand eyes, 

And the day but one; 
Yet the light of the bright world dies 
With the dying sun. 

The mind has a thousand eyes, 

And the heart but one; 
Yet the light of a whole life dies 

When love is done. 

1. What is meant by the eyes of night and the eye of day? 

2. What is the meaning of the dying sun? 

3. What do you think is the eye of the heart? 

4. Why do you not see the thousand eyes in the daytime? 

5. Explain the meaning of the last line. 

6. What are two of the most important things this poem 
teaches ? 



THE FIFTH GRADE 165 

Notes 

250. In general, it is not necessary to use a heading 
in the writing of a note. If desired, the date may be placed 
in the lower left-hand corner. The following will serve 
as an illustration : 

Dear Mrs. Green: — Will you kindly send me your recipe for 
lemon ice? We are going to have company, and I wish to 
make some. 

Sincerely yours 

June 23, 1913 Mrs. Davis 

Write a note to your friend Ellen Terry, asking her to spend 
Tuesday evening with you. Your cousin is visiting you, and 
you wish the two to become acquainted. 

Write a note to your butcher, requesting him to send you 
a good tenderloin steak. 

Write a note to your teacher, stating that you expect to go 
away with your mother for the first three days of next week. 
Promise to think of your lessons while you are away, even if 
you do not have your books with you. 

Write a note to your dressmaker, inquiring when it will be 
possible for her to make an appointment with you. 

Write a similar one to your dentist. 

Write a note to one of your friends, stating that if con- 
venient to him you will call tomorrow evening in company 
with a cousin whom you want him to meet. 

Write a note to a neighbor, requesting the loan of a hose. 

Write answers to some of the foregoing notes. 

Correcting Letters 

251. Require some of the letters to be read in the 
presence of the class; allow the pupils to become the most 
particular of critics; ask them to pick flaws in the heading, 
the salutation, the closing phrase; then have them attack 
the body of the letter. Are the words spelled correctly ? 
Are the sentences punctuated properly? Is the thought 
expressed in an interesting way? Can the letters be im- 



166 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

proved in any respect? When children once assume this 
attitude, they are likely to prove too zealous, but that 
tendency can he controlled. A live school is one in which 
the pupils take an active part in argument and discussion, 
and there is no greater factor in begetting enthusiasm 
than the criticism and correction of compositions and let- 
ters, as indicated above. 

The subject matter of a number of letters is herewith 
suggested. See that all the necessary parts of each letter 
are prepared with the same care as that given to the body 
of the letter. 

Write to your Uncle Jacob, telling him that you expect to 
visit him for about two weeks. State on what day and on what 
train you will arrive, so that he may meet you. 

After your arrival at your Uncle Jacob's farrn, write a letter 
to your mother, in which you describe your experiences on 
the train. 

A week later you may again write to your mother, relating 
some of the happenings on the farm and telling her when she 
may expect your return. 

As captain of your team, write a challenge to the Americus 
Baseball Club. Name the date on which it will be most suitable 
for you to play. 

Your school is to have a picnic on the fourteenth of June, 
and you are allowed to invite one friend. Write the invitation. 

A grocer wants a boy to work in his store. Write an appli- 
cation, stating Avhy you think you will suit him. 

Your grandmother lives twenty-five miles from your home. 
You ride to her house on a bicycle. After your arrival, write 
to your father giving an account of your trip. 

Write a birthday greeting to one of your grandparents. The 
object of this letter is not only to congratulate him or her, but 
also to express the hope that he or she may have many more 
birthdays, with good health to enjoy them. 

Write a note to accompany a gift sent to your cousin on his 
birthday. 

Invite your cousins to spend a holiday with you. Name the 
date, and tell what you expect to do. 



THE FIFTH GRADE 167 

You live in a small village. Write to a grocer in the city 
nearest you, inclosing an order for a number of groceries. Tell 
how you wish them to be shipped. 

Write a letter to the New York Press and inclose an adver- 
tisement for insertion in the "want" columns of that paper 
in which you state that you wish to purchase a secondhand 
bicycle in good condition. The charge for a single insertion 
is usually a cent a word. Inclose sufficient one-cent stamps to 
pay for it. 

Wells and Springs 

252. Explain what becomes of the water that falls on the 
earth in the form of rain. What makes it collect in channels ? 
When these channels finally come to the surface, what do they 
form? Where there are no springs, how do people get their 
water? In how many ways may wells be made? The old 
process consisted in what? How were they lined? How was 
the water drawn to the surface? In the case of such a well, 
how might you calculate its depth? What is the modern 
method of sinking a well? How is the water raised to the sur- 
face? What is the use of a windmill? 

Study the poem, "The Old Oaken Bucket." 

A Stone Quarry 

253. Name some of the kinds of stone that are quarried. 
Which are the most valuable? What is first done in preparing 
to work a quarry? How is the stone removed? Explain the 
drilling; the explosive; the dressing; the tools used; the ship- 
ping; the uses to which the stone is put; the names applied 
to the people who are engaged in the business. 

Road Making 

254. Why we should have good roads; the people who need 
them most; who pay for making and keeping up our road sys- 
tems; some of the kinds of roads in most common use — the 
macadamized — the asphalt — the plank — the brack — the block — 
the clay; process of making a road or a street which you have 
witnessed. 



168 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

A Pendulum Clock 

255. Mention the parts of such a clock. What other name 
may be applied to the "face" 1 ? Make the characters used to 
indicate the hours. When, usually, are there two weights or 
springs to wind? When is there but one? Have you observed 
that some of the wheels revolve more rajDidly than the others ! 
Which one of them moves most slowly ? Which most rapidly ? 
If the clock runs too fast, what is done to the pendulum? In 
order to find this out, fasten pebbles, potatoes, or apples to 
string's of different lengths and suspend them from a support. 
Note the different rates of oscillation. Explain how the pen- 
dulum of the clock is shortened or lengthened. 

The Bicycle 

256. What does this word mean? A bicycle will not stand 
upright without support — how, then, can you ride it without 
its tipping over? What is the use of the tires? How are they 
repaired? Of what is the inner tube made? How is it re- 
paired? Which revolves faster, the pedals or the hind wheel? 
How is this brought about? Why should you want the wheel 
to turn faster than the pedals? In what ways does bicycling 
give pleasure? What dangers accompany it? 

A Puncture and How I Repaired It 

257. Describe how the puncture occurred and how it was 
repaired. Make the account as entertaining as you can. 

A Lesson with My Manual Training- Teacher 

258. Relate what was laid out for you to do, what was said 
to you by way of instruction, and how nearly you succeeded in 
doing what was required of you. 

An Interesting Walk 

259. Where I went; what I saw; an amusing incident that 
occurred. 



THE FIFTH GRADE 169 

If I Had a Fortune 

260. What you consider a fortune — what portion of it you 
would wish to spend on yourself — what you would do for the 
poor — some of the other things you would have in view. 

Proper Prepositions 

261. 1. Examples in wait for, wait on, wait at: 

Mary waited the guests last evening. 

I waited Willie this morning, because I wished to walk 

to school with him. 

Wait the corner for me. 

Will you wait Tom the grocer's 1 ? 

Please wait me, Matilda. 

No, I cannot wait you any longer. 

Marie is a clerk in Home's store; she waits some very 

fashionable people. 

2. Examples in taste of, taste for, taste in: 

This coffee tastes sugar. 

Please taste this fudge me. 

Samuel has a taste good books. 

After he had had a taste the gingerbread, he was not 

satisfied until he had had some more. 
There is a sour taste my mouth. 

3. Examples in part from, part with, part in : 

Friends must part one another; but they part the 

hope that they will soon meet again. 

The better class of boys took no part the quarrel. 

I hate to part this book, but I have promised it to 

Stella, and I must give it to her. 

Some boys part their hair the middle. 

4. Examples in agree with, agree to: 

I cannot agree you in the matter. 

Will you agree help me? 

We may agree serve another even though we may not 

agree him. 



170 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

5. Examples in defend from, defend in, defend with, 
defend by: 

The hunter defended himself the Indians a rifle. 

The la-wyer defended the prisoner the trial. 

The prisoner was defended a lawyer. 

The lawyer defended his client great zeal. 

Defend me doing what you can. 

6. Examples in die of, die for, die by, die at, die in: 

The soldier dies his country. 

The patient died ■ — — diphtheria. 

The woman died the hospital. 

The lockjaw patient died great agony. 

Abel died the hand of Cain. 

7. Examples in deliver from, deliver in, deliver to, 
deliver at, deliver with, deliver for: 

Will you deliver this package me? 

It is to be delivered time for the one-thirty car. 

Deliver us evil. 

Deliver the letter Mr. Carlton 1512 Sycamore 

Street. 
Deliver great haste, but care. 

Occupations 

262. Require the pupil to make a list of names appli- 
cable to the followers of certain occupations. Place each 
of these names in a sentence which will convey a clear 
definition of the trade, business, or profession indicated. 
The statement, "A boiler maker is a man who makes 
boilers," gives no idea of what a boiler maker really does. 

1. A milliner is a woman who 

2. A farmer is a man who 

3. A mason is a man who 

4. A chauffeur is a person who 



THE FIFTH GRADE 171 

By the time the pupil shall have thus described all the 
occupations he can think of, he will not only have had 
considerable practice in sentence making, but he will also 
have added largely to his store of classified knowledge. 

A Thermometer 

263. What the word means (thermo, heat; meter, measure; 
a measure of heat, and also of cold). Name the parts and tell 
of what each is made. What is the freezing point 1 ? What is 
the boiling point? How many degrees below the freezing point 
is zero? What liquid is placed in the tube? Blow your breath 
on the bulb and notice what takes place. Do you think that 
if tbe tube were to contain water, it would make a good ther- 
mometer? Name some of the uses of the thermometer. 

The Seasons 

264. Name the seasons. Tell something of the kind of 
weather at the beginning of each. On what particular dates 
are the days and nights of equal length, and in which seasons 
do these dates occur? What kind of work is done on the farm 
during each season? Do the seasons make any difference in 
other occupations? Name some kinds of work that can be 
done best in summer; some that can be pursued only in winter. 
What games and sports are appropriate for each season? What 
is a calendar? 

Contractions 

265. Make a list of all the contractions you know and 
place them in sentences. Compose other sentences that will 
contain the words themselves. When is it best not to use 
contractions? When do you think they are allowable? Name 
two or three that are incorrect. 

A Canal 

266. What is a canal? Where are canals usually built .' 
How is the water obtained? In what kind of country are they 
most easily constructed and operated? What are the locks 



172 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

for"? How are the boats drawn? What is the towpatk? What 
are conveyed on canal boats? Name some important canals. 
One of our Presidents worked on a canal boat when he was 
a boy. Who was he? 

Composition 

267. The following words suggest to you something that 
you can enlarge upon. They form a mere basis or foundation. 
Study the words, choose an appropriate subject, and write at 
least a page. 

Stable — currycomb — jockey — halter — straw — hay — corn — 
brush — mane — wagon— race. 

Composition 

268. In the same manner, study these words, choose a sub- 
ject, and write a composition similar to the preceding: 

Cobbler — sole — awl — machine — blacking — nails— last — patch 
— leather — paper — charge. 

Our Daily Bread 

269. This term is used in the Lord's Prayer; what does it 
mean? How many meals are usually eaten in the course of the 
day? What is the first one called? What is often eaten then? 
What name may be given to the second? What is it called 
when the meal is a very simple one? What is the last meal 
of the day called? When it is the principal one, what name is 
often given to it? Name some places where meals are served, 
and state how they differ. 

Foods 

270. How many general classes of foods are there? Name 
some that you use in the course of a week. Do you think it 
would be a good thing for you if your mother were to prepare 
the same kind all the time? Why? Tell what a certain people 
in the far north eat. Do you think they like it better than 
they would our food? Why? Tell what kind is u'ood for 



THE FIFTH GRADE 173 

people in very warm countries. A man once made a wager that 
he could eat thirty quail in thirty days. He lost. Do you 
know why ? Athletes • are very careful in the use of foods. 
Explain. 

Potatoes 

271. Potatoes form one of the most common articles of 
food in our country, and therefore every cook should know 
how to prepare them for table use. Mention three ways of 
cooking them, and describe the process fully in each case. The 
boys should not be excused from this composition. 

The Steak 

272. Name the kinds of steak. Which is cheapest? Which 
is dearest? Which is toughest? Which is tenderest? What 
is clone with the steak before it is cooked? Should the frying 
pan be hot or cold when the steak is laid in it? Why should 
it cook quickly? Why should it be turned over in a few 
seconds after it has been placed in the pan? If it is left in 
the pan too long before it is taken from the fire, why is the 
meat likely not to taste so good? What does "rare done" 
mean? If meat is kept frozen, how long will it remain fit to 
eat? 

Some Adverbs 

273. Words that answer the questions how, when, where, 
are called adverbs. What question does each of the following 
adverbs answer? 

Quickly, now, finely, usually, politely, often, plainly, slowly, 
finally, truly, there, here, yonder. 
Use these words in sentences. 

Adjectives 

274. A word that describes an object is an adjective. Tbe 
following may be applied to what objects? Place each adjective 
in a sentence : 

Red, plain, difficult, brilliant, safe, polite, orderly, unconscious, 
free, tardy, diligent, industrious, possible, delightful, generous, 
selfish. 



174 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Qualities 

275. These nouns may be described by what adjectives'? 
Construct a sentence in each ease. 

Ice, island, James, shepherd, mountain, brush, clothing, base- 
ment, ship, greyhound, Greenland, refrigerator, minister, mother, 
violet, tunnel, ice cream, quinine. 

Review 

276. Will you here while I read to you? 

Mary corresponds her cousin. 

I had a talk him. 

The sick child in bed all morning. 

I do not know (an adverbial clause) 
She does not know why 
The detective heard who 
I am not certain 
Do you think 

Throw banana skins the garbage can. 

If your hands your pocket, take them out. 

is no place like home. 

house was burned last week, but I was not to see 

the fire. 

Was the bottle before the medicine was poured out? 

Listen my children and you shall hear 

Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere 
Now baby will you be good 
Sleep my little one sleep my pretty one sleep 

He and she here. 

He or she expected to be here this evening. 

Mary been there today, but I not. 

Who are at the door? . 

Letter Forms 

277. In many parts of the country it is customary for 
manufacturers to offer prizes for the collection and trans- 
mission of coupons, tags, or wrappers relating to the par- 



THE FIFTH GRADE 175 

ticular business in which they are engaged. Pupils are 
frequently interested in seeking the prizes thus offered, 
and should therefore be acquainted with a satisfactory 
method of preparing the letter which is intended to accom- 
pany the coupons. An illustration follows : 

210 Elyria St. 

Toledo, Ohio 

June 15, 1915 
Colgate & Co. 
6 Dutch Street 
New York City 

Gentlemen: — Inclosed find twenty -five (25) wrappers, for which 
please send Premium No. 30, a penknife, to the above address. 
Yours respectfully 

James Brown 

Industrial conditions often create a demand for youth- 
ful labor, and the fifth grade pupil, who in many cases 
has reached the age at which he may be permitted to leave 
school, is often forced by family circumstances to take up 
some form of labor. He may be obliged to make appli- 
cation before he can secure the position to which he aspires, 
and it will be proper for the teacher to provide practice 
in writing such applications, although she should not fail 
to set forth the desirability of his remaining in school as 
long as possible. The following will serve as a model : 

5735 Butler St. 

Boston, Mass. 

Oct. 19, 1909 
William Harrison Co. 
Starr Ave. & Fifth St. 
Boston, Mass. 
Gentlemen : 

I saw your advertisement for an office boy in today's Press. 
I should like to obtain the position. T am fourteen years of 
age and attend the Mt. Albion Public School. I shall be glad 



176 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

to give references as to my character and my ability to do the 
work required of me. If you select me, I shall try to serve you 
faithfully. 

Respectfully yours 

Herbert Johnson 

Pupils are sometimes forced to be absent on account of 
illness in the family. When it may be inconvenient for 
either father or mother to explain the cause of absence, a 
note written by the pupil will make it unnecessary for the 
teacher to enter upon an investigation of the case. Such 
a note or letter should be brief but courteous. 

Dear Miss Wilkinson: 

Mother is ill today, and I must remain at home to take care 
of the house. If she is better by tomorrow I shall return to 
school in the forenoon. I hope my absence will not cause me to 
fall behind my class. 

Your affectionate pupil 

Jane White 
84 Seventeenth Street 
May 24, 1915 

A pupil may hurt the feelings of another, either care- 
lessly or intentionally. When he realizes that such a thing 
has happened, it is his duty to apologize at once. Some- 
times this is more easily done in writing, and it is well 
that there should be practice in the forms that will state 
what the pupil wishes to say. While each offense may 
require separate treatment, drill on a general apology will 
be ample work at this time. 

Dear John : 

I could see that I annoyed you by my rudeness this morning, 
and I desire to tell you how sorry I am. Will you pardon me 
for my bad behavior? I shall try not to offend you again. 

Yours sincerely 

Allen Purviance 



THE FIFTH GRADE 177 

In every school it happens that at least one of the pupils 
is confined to his room by a protracted illness. His loneli- 
ness will certainly be lightened if he receives, every once 
in a while, a note from some or all the members of his class. 
A sample of what may be said follows: 

Dear William: — We are sorry that you cannot be with us 
these busy days. We miss you and shall be glad to see you 
at school again. Try to get well as quickly as possible, for base- 
ball time will soon be here and we need you on the team. 

Your schoolmates 

The teacher and her pupils may profitably discuss each 
of the foregoing forms with the intention of determining 
how nearly they can apply them to their supposed needs. 
It may be remarked that without exception there should 
be no undue straining to say as much as possible. There 
is danger of repetition even in very brief letters, and the 
recipients are more likely to detect this fault than are the 
writers. The necessity for conciseness may be impressed 
upon the minds of these young people with good results. 
In the apology quoted above there are three sentences 
stating four thoughts, namely : the acknowledgment of 
rudeness ; the expression of sorrow ; the asking of pardon : 
the promise of better behavior. More than this would be 
superfluous; less might be sufficient. The pupils should 
be able to determine which of the foregoing sentences or 
thoughts may be omitted and yet fully satisfy their ideas 
of what an apology should be. In like manner, they may 
be taught that this quality should prevail in business let- 
ters, also, while completeness of detail should be a promi- 
nent feature of general description. It is the teacher's 
part to see that all phases of this work receive the atten- 
tion that will permanently benefit the pupil. 



178 



LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 



Composition Subjects 



278. The Building of a 

Nest 
The Value of Shade Trees 
A Trip on an Airship 
American Sports 
The Hare and the Tortoise 
A Letter to Father 
Monday at Home 
The Lion's Share 
Sheep and Their Uses 
Coverings of Animals 
The Adventures of a Book 



The First Snow 

The Adventures of a Hat 

The Month of October 

The Golden Touch 

Jack and the Beanstalk 

The Ragman 

Holland 

How to Make Soap Bubbles 

The First Making of Glass 

The Robin's Right to Some of 

the Farmer's Cherries 
Jack's Pets 



CHAPTER VI 

THE SIXTH GRADE 

Outline of Work 

279. 1. Review 

2. Punctuation 

3. Technical terms 

4. Distinguishing words 

5. Violations of good English 

6. Composition, topics, and outlines 

7. The advertisement 

8. The telegram 

9. Letter writing 

10. Criticism 

11. Recasting sentences 

12. Variety of expression 

13. Conversations. 

14. Reproduction 

15. Morals and manners 

16. The study of synonyms 

17. The diary. See Sections 115 and 204 

280. The student just entering the sixth grade has 
received some training in orderly sequence of both time 
and thought, and his written work should reveal improve- 
ment in that quality. He is now to be instructed along 
the lines of greater variety in the construction of his sen- 
tences and of more comprehensive detail in his descriptions. 
As he has learned some of the principles of grammar, as 

179 



180 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

well as a number of technical terms incidental to their 
expression, directions can be given in the language of the 
grammar, an advantage that means much to the learner, 
especially in the matter of conciseness. 

281. The following exercises will serve as a suggestive 
review of the work he has already done : 

Select the proper words in these sentences: 

He (rung, rang) the bell. 

She (sung, sang) well. 

I had (did, done) my work. 

Write a sentence telling that you shut the door. 

Write a sentence telling some one that you shut the door. 

Write a sentence asking some one if he shut the door. 

Point out a noun in (a) ; a verb in (b) ; an adjective in 
(c) ; an adverb in (d) ; a pronoun in (e). 

a. The book was lost. 

b. We played ball all afternoon. 

c. Mary has a new dress. 

d. They did their work well. 

e. James told them he would go. 

Use the words dress, paint, and well as nouns and as 
verbs. 

Write a sentence containing two nouns that require 
capitals. 

Write one containing two nouns in the possessive case. 

Write one containing two plural nouns. 

Write from dictation : 

Mary, how's John's mother today? 
She's better, thank you, Henry. 

It's been too warm during the past two days for her to 
feel well. 



THE SIXTH GRADE 181 

Reconstruct the following sentence, using quotation 
marks to indicate two different meanings: 

John told his father that he should not have done that. 

Change to prose : 

When to the flowers so beautiful 

The Father gave a name, 
Back came a little blue-eyed one 

(All timidly it came), 
And standing at its Father's feet, 

And gazing in his face — 
It said in low and trembling tones, 

With sweet and gentle grace, 
"Dear God, the name Thou gavest me, 

Alas, I have forgot." 
Then kindly looked the Father down, 

And said, "Forget-me-not." 

Insert the proper pronouns : 

Please let John and go to the circus. 

I shall get the book for and . 

Replace got with a better word : 

The boy got sick, and the mother got the doctor to attend 
him. 

Correct this sentence : 

He took the book off me. 

Use the proper forms of lie: 

I on the couch last night until mother called me and 

told me that I had been there for two hours. 

Rewrite the following sentences, but do not change the 
meaning : 

An honest man deserves to be trusted. 
It is your duty to obey. 



182 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Insert don't or doesn't: 

your mother know that you study when she 

see you bring your books home? 

Write correctly : 

Them books are John's. Is this here right? 

Insert between or among: 

He divided the money the seven boys. 

The money was divided John and Charles. 

John, Henry, and George are brothers. Compare John 
with George in height ; compare Henry with the two others. 
Connect these sentences in two different ways: 

The boy goes to school. 

The girl does not go to school. 

Use these words in sentences, first as common, and then 
as proper nouns: aunt, professor, street, queen, general, 
colonel, major, mayor. 

Write the feminine or the masculine of each of the 
following : prince, duchess, men, hero, heiress, nephew, 
uncle. 

Write a sentence showing two different uses of the 
apostrophe. 

Write five sentences, each containing a phrase. 

Write a sentence having the subject modified by a 
phrase. 

Write a sentence having a phrase for subject. 

Modify the subject by a clause. Use a clause as subject. 

Use in sentences : 

lovely earnest excited delicate 

sturdy innocent modest arrayed 



THE SIXTH GRADE 183 



Punctuate : 



Will you walk into my parlor little fly 
Sam Joe Fred and Crad are the names of four fine boys 
Will you have an ice cream soda if I get it for you Jane 
Oh how warm the weather is today 

A person born in America is called an American. Con- 
struct a similar sentence for each of these words : Germany, 
France, Ireland, Turkey, Norway, Sweden, Spain, Cuba, 
Scotland, Greece, England, Canada, Egypt, Switzerland. 

Use each of the following phrases as the subject of a 
sentence : 

To do good Running a race To obey your parents 

Catching rabbits Helping the aged Flying a kite 

Change the word modifiers to phrase or clause modifiers, 
then add the necessary words to make sentences : 

Green tomatoes 

A courageous sailor 

A wise man 

A very long journey 

A generous act 

It is correct to say: 

I have a cold ; not, I have got a cold. 
What have you? not, What have you got? 
Why are you doing that? is better than What are you 
doing that for? 



Correct 



Oh, I wish T had an ice-cold glass of water! 

Carrie had a fresh basket of eggs. 

T have a new pair of gloves. 

Will yon have a hot cup of coffee, Alice? 

Mother has a ripe bnnch of grapes. 



184 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Insert apostrophes where necessary : 

The flowers are Marys. 

We should have a care for others comfort. 

He is engaged on a two-weeks job. 

All of the farmers crops have been harvested. 

The mens work is finished, but Johns is not. 

Johns father said that he might go to the library to find 
the childrens books, after which he might go to the boys 
room for an hour. 

Use of lie and lay: 

The man on the grass. 

The coat on the ground. 

He came into the room where the sick man . 

The carpenter his tools in the box. 

the pencil on the paper and let it there. 

The pencil is there. 

down to rest. 

The book was on the stand. 

The doctor his hands on the boy as he — — in bed. 

Combinations 

282. This man is industrious. He invented a machine. The 
machine is an excellent one. 

John writes. He writes with a pen. He writes carefully. 

A frog had seen an ox. She wished to make herself as big 
as the ox. She attempted to do so. She burst asunder. 

I wish to eat. I am hungry. 

I approached the house. I saw the door open. I walked in. 

Mary is an indolent child. She will never learn. 

The cat is watching a robin. The robin is on the fence. The 
cat would like to catch the robin. 

The poor old woman is tired. She is carrying a basket. The 
basket is heavy. 

Saturday was a bright day. The children had a picnic. They 
went to the woods. 

I heard a bell ring loudly. I ran to the window. I saw a 
fire engine go by. It went very rapidly. 



THE SIXTH GRADE 185 

Expansions 

283. A wise son maketh a glad father. 
An earnest man finds the way to do things. 

By attending to his business Mr. White gained great wealth. 

Stephen asked his father for a dollar. 

The gentleman rowing is a friend of mine. 

I saw the ruined automobile. 

A city set on a hill cannot be hid. 

Having finished his work, the laborer went home. 

The child dances gracefully. 

Health and plenty cheer the industrious man. 

Walking up to the door, he knocked boldly. 

By writing carefully you will learn to write well. 

Miscellaneous 

284. Write three simple sentences, and combine them 
into one. 

Illustrate the use of seven abbreviations. 

With the words child played as a basis, construct a sen- 
tence of at least twelve words, introducing modifiers of 
both subject and predicate. 

Write a heading; an address; three salutations. 

Write three closing phrases; two signatures. 

Write a conversation between two persons who have not 
met for a year, having each one speak five or six times. 

Fill blanks in each sentence with proper forms of the 
same verb : 

The father told his son to him his cane, and it was 

immediately. 

The thief the money that had been from some one 

else. 

The tenor a song, and everybody said thai it had been 

well . 

The bird from its nest yesterday, but it has not 

today. 



186 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

The student a picture, but it was not well . 

Mr. Willis to see his brother, but his brother had . 

Abbreviations 

285. To those provided for the fifth grade, add the 
following : 

Pres. Gov. Messrs. sec. treas. bal. 

agt. acct. G. A. R. M.D. D.D. ans. 

N.E. N.W. S.E. SW. prod. rem. 

They should be used in composition work according to 
the directions to be found in Section 191. 

State which of the appended sentences contain words 
that can, with propriety, be abbreviated, and give your 
reasons for thinking so. Rewrite such sentences. 

I expect to start on my trip at three-fifteen in the afternoon, 
and Doctor Johnson will go with me. 

We shall return on January 15. 

Colonel Roosevelt spent several months in Africa. 

We are intending' to remove to Lincoln Avenue. 

Both North and South America are rich in grazing lands. 

We are now living on Jacob Street. 

Superintendent Harbison Millard will be in his office tomor- 
row morning at ten o'clock. 

Superintendent Harbison Millard, 418 Pearl Street, City. 

Galveston, Texas, September 19, 1910. 

New York is the largest city in the United States. 

Homonyms 

286. Form original sentences in which the following 
words shall be used correctly. 



heel 


need 


seed 


weak 


rain 


heal 


knead 


cede 


week 


reign 


pair 


oar 


aii- 


bare 


sum 


pare 


ore 


e'er 


bear 


some 


pear 


o'er 









THE SIXTH GRADE 187 

Punctuation 

287. The rain ceased and the snn came ont 
Grover went to town to buy a suit of clothes 
Joe and Jack and Tom have gone to the creek to fish 
Husband remarked Mrs. Wylie who do you think has come 
to visit ns 

Rev. Joseph Speers 4323 Liberty Ave Los Angeles California 

Mildred and Nora will you come here a minute 

Oh Nora I have cut my finger 

The three states are these Ohio Indiana and Illinois 

Lord in Thee have I trusted 

By the way where are you going this evening 

Can you tell Robert who Napoleon was 



Written Reproduction 

The Merchant op Venice 

288. Lamb's "Tales from Shakespeare" is a book 
which should prove a delightful introduction to the study 
of the great dramatist, and one of the best of the stories it 
describes is "The Merchant of Venice." Read it to the 
members of the class and have them prepare a synopsis 
that will cover the chief events of the drama and include 
comments on the most important characters. They will be 
pleased to give their opinions regarding Shylock, Portia, 
Antonio, Bassanio, and others who carry the burden of the 
play. Find the time to read passages that will convey 
something of the spirit of the production. They will thus 
imbibe the language of this illustrious writer at first hand 
and in all probability will develop a desire for further 
acquaintanceship with his works. If the pupils seem much 
interested, divisions of the play may be taken up in detail. 
such as the writing of the bond, the trial scene, or the story 
of the rings. 



188 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Violations of Good English 

289. Do you say?— 

I'll not change my seat, for I can see good enough here. 

Do like I do. 

There's them apples to pare. 

This here book is the best I 've ever read. 

That there pencil breaks every time I use it. 

His death was awful sudden, wasn 't it ? 

Hiram will be mighty glad to see you. 

I am real sorry to learn that your sister is not well. 

Ain't this a hot day? 

She is a poor widow woman. 

I have found lots of mistakes in this composition. 

Sarah told him to not tvait any longer. 

He took my book off of me. 

Company has came to our house. 

He don't know who that is. 

I didn't do nothing. 

Hold it in your both hands. 

A Criticism 

290. Do you ever compose such sentences as you will 
find in the following list? The same criticism applies to 
each of them. What is it? Write a caution that will gov- 
ern the case, beginning with "Do not . " 

We shall remain in the city during the remainder of the 
month. 

You must expect me to find fault with the faults you show 
in your writing. 

I am planning to take the plans of my new house with me 
when I go. 

The rest of the company decided that a rest would be good 
for them. 

I scarcely know how to explain the scarcity of game this 
year. 

I admit that I was wrong when I admitted you without a 
ticket. 



THE SIXTH GRADE 189 

Recasting Sentences 

291. The writer who is anxious to avoid monotony in 
the use of words must be just as careful in the formation 
of his sentences. Variety in the latter respect is one of 
several qualities which make reading enjoyable. When 
the young student finds that he has cast several consecu- 
tive sentences in almost the same mold he should recast a 
sufficient number of them to produce the variety desired. 

Have him reconstruct the following sentences in such a 
manner that they will convey the same meaning as they 
did before being changed : 

During my stay in the country I gained six pounds in weight. 

We have reason to believe that he may arrive any minute. 

We searched everywhere for the purse without finding it. 

By taking a street car, we arrived at the park in less than 
an hour. 

The train was derailed. It was running at a rapid rate. 

I was not aware of his being present. 

"Marie," asked Grace, "where do you expect to spend your 
vacation?" 

Catherine is a bright girl. She is lazy. 

His father being dead, the prince ascended the throne. 

Industry is the cause of prosperity. 

The elephant is larger than any other quadruped. 

I shall name the essential points of the story. 

A Criticism 

292. One day I had a holiday. I took a walk to the woods. 
The sight of so many green things refreshed me very much. 
The first living thing I saw was a beautiful bird of many bright 
colors. It was singing in the branches of a leafy tree. Then 
I saw a rabbit that ran away at my approach. Next T saw a 
small stream of water bordered on both sides by flowers of all 
kinds. I sat down on the bank and ate my lunch. The murmur- 
ing of the brook made me so sleepy that I soon went to sleep. 



190 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

After a long time I awoke and went home, feeling that I had 
spent a most enjoyable day. 

Here is a composition that is faulty in several respects. Can 
you offer suggestions that will improve it? Some of these 
queries may be of assistance to you: 

1. Do you observe the repetition of certain words or groups 
of words in close connection 1 ? 

2. Is there an instance of exaggeration in the composition? 

3. Are many of the sentences too short? What objection- 
able quality is thereby indicated? 

4. Is there sufficient detail to make this production inter- 
esting? 

5. Has the writer's imagination been allowed to act freely? 

"Flesh and blood" in detached sentence making has been 
mentioned as an essential, and the same statement is true in 
composition work. The author of "A Day in the Woods" saw 
and heard many things that he did not record, but we are not 
to find fault with him on that account. We do complain that 
the "flesh and blood" is missing; that there is insufficient 
detail; that statements are made in the dull, matter-of-fact 
way which prevents uniqueness of description. Let us rewrite 
the first two sentences to illustrate our meaning: 

One day I was given the pleasure of a holiday that I had 
been anticipating for a long time. I had already decided that 
I would spend it in the woods because I have always been fond 
of the beautiful things to be seen and heard there; so to the 
woods I went. 

Complete the revision of the foregoing by means of such 
changes or additions as will in your judgment result in decided 
improvement. 

Completion of Sentences 

293. It is who am trying to win the prize. 

It is who are going to spend our vacation on the farm. 

Can it be who did the mischief . ? 

The teacher thought it was , but both and 

told that it was not . 

Neither of the men injured. 



THE SIXTH GRADE 191 

John or Stella to go to the store. 

Coming down the lane, 

There is no use in (at least twelve more words) 

The merchant (adjective clause) 

The pupils having finished their lessons, 

I shall return from the city (adverbial clause) 

Miss Johns, I speak to Selma for a moment ? 

We go to the picnic tomorrow if it does not rain. 

Which is the thing to do, walk or ride °i 

I shall your wishes. 

You have not watered the plants for three days; I they 

are all dead. 

He said that he had told me the truth, but I that he 

had not. 

If you do not your grumbling, I shall not with 

you. 

Mother says that I (permission) go. 

Mother said that I (permission) go. 

Mother says tha£ I (necessity) go. 

Mother says that I (obligation) go. 

Mother says that I (ability) go. 

Every pupil must learn lesson. 

Carry this package care the butcher Fourth 

Street. 

Composition— I Am a Clerk 

294. Tell what the duties of a clerk are; some of the 
troubles clerks have in waiting on customers; how customers 
should be treated, no matter what they may say or do; some 
occupations you would prefer to a clerkship. 

Conversations 

295. There is something of value in writing supposed 
conversations or dialogues. It maj^ not call forth a quality 
of thought so dignified as other forms of composition, 
although that will depend altogether upon the subject of 
the conversation and the mental trend of the writer; but 



192 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

it will serve to quicken the wits of children in composing 
suitable replies to their own questions or statements. It 
will thus require their assuming a dual character in order 
to bring the conversation to a successful issue. 

The teacher will doubtless be able to provide appropriate 
subjects ; but in order to do this she must study the inter- 
ests of the pupils. Some of them will be able and willing 
to choose for themselves, although, in general, it will be 
found necessary for her to suggest. A few are supplied 
below : 

Conversation with a Grocer 
I Visit My Grandmother 

What Harry Wanted to Know, and What 'the Lump of Coal 
Told Him 

Harry's Country Uncle Asks Him Some Questions 

A Quarrel and an Apology 

What I Expect for Christmas 

What I Received for My Birthday 

Mary and Emma Play School 

A Call on a Sick Friend 



Advertisement 

296. Your mother lost a ring and writes an advertisement, 
thus: 

LOST— A ring, which has the initials "A. 0. F." on 
the inside. It has an amethyst set. A reward will be 
given to the person who returns it to 737 Brown Street. 

You will remember that the papers charge so much a word, 
and that you wish, naturally, to have the advertisement cost as 
little as possible. In addition to that, people take pride in the 
fact that they are able to "boil down" such statements into a 
very small space. Assist your mother in recasting this advertise- 
ment with the intention of cutting out all needless words, and then 
let us have the result of your efforts. 



THE SIXTH GBADE 193 

A Telegram 

297. Your father is away from home on a business trip. 
In his absence your baby sister becomes ill. Write him a tele- 
gram which shall convey the following information: 

"Mildred is quite ill. The doctor thinks she may have scarlet 
fever. Come home at once." 

It is desirable that telegrams shall contain no more than ten 
words if they can be so arranged as to express the message. 
Reconstruct the foregoing on such a basis. 

Pupils should have a taste of this kind of work simply 
to bring them into contact here and there with business 
life and its forms. They may have nothing to do with 
telegrams or advertisements for years to come, but they 
should know the principle which usually governs their 
preparation. 

Variety of Expression 

"Standing on the corner of the street, I watched the 
parade pass." 

298. Here is a simple sentence introduced by a parti- 
cipial phrase which modifies the subject /. The pupil 
should be required to write ten similar sentences, having 
in each case a different participle and a different subject. 
This will have the effect of making him better acquainted 
with the participial forms of verbs, and will broaden his 
knowledge of the verb system in general, as well as provide 
distinct fields of activity in mental work. After this exer- 
cise has been completed, he may be advised to use such a 
sentence in his next composition or letter. He will, of 
course, be cautioned not to employ a form of that kind 
too often, for reasons already stated. Call his attention 
to the following paragraph : 



194 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Standing on the corner of the street, I watched the parade 
pass. Having followed it for two squares, I went into a drug 
store. Drinking an ice cream soda, I talked with the clerk on 
the state of the weather. Having stepped out oh the street 
again, I became the witness of an amusing scene. 

These sentences are all constructed after the same pat- 
tern, and the eye as well as the ear is offended by the 
resulting monotony. Have the pupils recast a sufficient 
number of them to provide a pleasing variety. 

The following sentences are given for the purpose of 
reconstruction in as many ways as possible : 

Walking up the avenue, we met James and Harry. 

Hearing a peculiar noise in the cellar, Mrs. Williams went down 
to investigate. 

Having studied his lessons thoroughly, Ernest decided that it 
was time to retire. 

Simon Peter, having a sword in his hand, drew it and cut off 
the servant's ear. 

We went to the park, expecting to meet the other girls. 

Having a holiday, we decided to take a trip on the lake. 

Select, from the reader, sentences having the same form 
as the foregoing and have the children remodel them. 

The pupil may now be required to change such sentences 
as the following into simple sentences, using absolute 
phrases or participial modifiers of the subject : 

When the boy found the purse, he hunted up the owner and 
returned it. 

While the student ate his lunch, he read the newspaper. 

Because you have committed this offense, you must be punished. 

After the enemy had fled, their camp was plundered. 

Since you are so greedy, you shall have none of the cake. 

As soon as Frank had finished his work, he went out to play. 

I caught the train because I rose early. 

While the hare slept, the tortoise passed him and won 
the race. 



THE SIXTH GRADE 195 

burst burst burst 

299. Here is a verb that never changes its form, no matter 
what time it may indicate. Since a great many people do not 
know or remember this, we often hear them use such expressions 
as, "The water pipe burstecl," or, worse still, "The water pipe 
busted." With the foregoing hint in mind, fill the blanks in 
the following sentences: 

Do you think the balloon will if it goes much higher*? 

The storm forth in all its fury. 

Sometimes street mains on account of extra pressure. 

I did not know the dam had . 



Poem for Study 

Abou Ben Adhem 

300. Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!) 
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace, 
And saw within the moonlight in his room, 
Making it rich and like a lily in bloom, 
An angel writing in a book of gold. 

Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold; 

And to the presence in the room he said, 

"What writest thou'?" The vision raised its head, 

And, with a look made of all sweet accord, 

Answered, "The names of those who love the Lord." 

"And is mine one 1 ?" said Abou. "Nay, not so," 
Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low, 
But cheerly still; and said, "I pray thee, then, 
Write me as one that loves his fellow-men." 

The angel wrote, and vanished. The next night 

It came again, with a great wakening light, 

And showed the names whom love of God had blessed; 

And, lo! Ben Adhem 's name led all the rest. 

— Leigh Hunt 



196 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Who was Abou Ben Adhem? What does "may his tribe 
increase" mean 1 ? What other names are given to his visitor 
besides the one first mentioned 1 ? Why should exceeding peace 
make a man bold? What was the first question asked by Abou? 
The answer? What was his second question? The answer? 
Was he discouraged at this answer? Why did he speak ''more 
low"? What did he ask? Why did his name lead all the rest? 

Distinguishing Words 
fewer less 

301. The incorrect use of these and the following 
words is very common: 

Fewer refers to number; less, to quantity. 

There has been rain this month than usual. 

The farmers are raising potatoes than they did last year. 

I have money in my pocket than you think I have. 

I have cents in my pocket than I have in my hand. 

There are boys than girls in school. 

There are problems to be solved today than there were 

yesterday. 

I can tell that story in words than he can. 

There are accidents on that road than there are on any 

other. 

By riding, you can go in time. 

some somewhat 

302. Some is an adjective, and modifies nouns; somewhat 
is an adverb, and modifies adjectives, verbs, and other adverbs. 

wearied by our labors, we sat down to rest. 

There are apples in the basket. 

I am inclined to go with you. 

He relented when he found that his son was sorry for 

what he had done. 

excited, he stood there for a time without saying a word. 

Our house stands ■ back from the street. 

Will you give me of your flowers? 

The sick child is better. 



THE SIXTH GRADE 197 

one another each other 

303. Each other refers to but two ; one another, to more than 
two. 

The two girls really love . 

Love ye . 

The party was divided into couples, and the different couples 
played with . 

May and Josie are playing with . 

We should always be courteous to . 

Bear ye 's burdens. 

The players looked at in admiration of Hans 

Wagner's wonderful stop. 

Since the two trains were going in opposite directions on the 
same track, they of course ran into . 

guess think 

304. Guess means to give an answer without knowing what 
the answer is; think means to believe, to consider. 

what I have in my hand. 

I that you have a nail in your hand. 

He said he it was right for the teacher to do as he had 

done. 

If you can the answer to this riddle, I will you a 

very smart girl. 

Do not when you are solving problems ; . 

She she already knew enough to leave school. 

carry fetch bring 

305. To carry means to take from one place to another; 
to fetch means to go and bring; to bring means to cany to this 
place. If Harry is at A, he may carry something to B, or he 
may fetch something from B; if he is at B, he may bring some- 
thing to A at the request of a person who is at A. 

Do not forget to me some coffee when you come home. 

Please this package to the store for me. 

me yon book. 



198 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

at which on which for which 

under which in which 

306. The house you lived ten years ago has burned 

down. 

The hotel I am staying is the Lincoln. 

The farm the old man lived has been sold. 

Lightning struck the bridge we stood. 

Some one has stolen the skiff I paid twenty dollars. 

The agreement we worked was a written one. 



by whom for whom with whom under whom 

about whom to whom 

307. We do not know the deed was done. 

The pupil we are waiting has not yet come. 

The person the money was given seemed thankful. 

were you talking this morning'? 

was the article written 1 ? 

did you have the conversation about the flying 

machine ? 

The general you served during the war has just died. 

Encourage the pupil to insert the foregoing phrases 
and forms of sentences in his descriptions. The probabili- 
ties are that he will take pleasure in doing so, and will 
meet with gratifying success in his endeavors. 



Composition — The Old Trunk 

308. Write about an old trunk in which you discovered a 
number of things. Tell what the trunk was like, and give an 
account of what you found in it. 

In this composition, you may use at least one sentence with a 
participial phrase, a complex sentence with an adverbial clause, 
and one with a relative clause similar to those mentioned in Sec- 
tions 306 and 307. 



THE SIXTH GRADE 



199 



A Ride on a Delivery Wagon 

309. Variety in the form of sentences may readily be secured 
in this description. For instance, we may say, ■ ' The horse behind 
which we rode " ; ' ' Lingering in front of the house, we watched, ' ' 
etc.; "Because the day was very warm, the horse was allowed 
to take his time." 

The First Money I Earned 

310. Few people forget the first wages they received 
for services rendered; and the event is probably one that 
children of this age will recollect without any effort and 
will therefore be able to describe. Make it plain that the 
pupil is not to attempt complex and compound sentences 
lavishly, but train him to feel the necessity for variety. 
When that point has been gained, he will take pleasure in 
occasionally using the longer forms. 



Synonyms 

311. Arrange the following list in pairs and place each word 
in a sentence. 



keep 


fewer 


locality 


convention 


obstacle 


hinder 


esteem 


less 


accept 


constant 


prevent 


receive 


reflect 


contain 


continual 


consider 


respect 


meeting 


topic 


retain 


neighborhood 


subject 


obstruction 


hold 



More Synonyms 

312. Each of these words has more than one synonym. 
Write as many as you can, and if you are able to explain any 
differences in meaning, do so. 

purpose beautiful remainder aid make 



joy 



ill 



push 



200 



LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 



Opposites 

313. Many words, especially adjectives, verbs, and nouns, 
have almost exact opposites in meaning. Study the following, 
and make a list of at least one opposite for each. Use all of 
them and their opposites in oral sentences. 



bent 

religious 
out 
agree 
despise 



drooping 

small 

within 

simple 

frown 



polite 

narrow 

protect 

go 

lead 



fair 

pride 

assemble 

hero 

divide 



accept 

proud 

disgrace 

roughly 

adjourn 



314. 



Poem for Study 

Snow-Bound 



Shut in from all the world without, 
We sat the clean-winged hearth about, 
Content to let the north wind roar 
In baffled rage at pane and door, 
While the red logs before us beat 
The frost-line back with tropic heat; 
And ever, when a louder blast 
Shook beam and rafter as it passed, 
The merrier up its roaring draught 
The great throat of the chimney laughed. 

— Whittier 

1. Why is the term baffled rage used? 

2. Explain the meaning of frost-line; of tropic. 

3. What is a draught? Why is a draught stronger in winter 
than in summer? 

4. What comparison is observed in the last two lines'? 

5. What picture is suggested by the whole stanza? 

6. Why is this a scene of contentment? 



A Letter 

315. Write a letter to Harper & Brothers, New York City, 
inclosing one dollar and fifty cents in t lie shape of a money 
order, for a copy of "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," 



THE SIXTH GRADE 201 

by Mark Twain. Since this is to be a business letter, use only 
enough words to make your meaning clear. 

Correcting- Business Letters 

316. 2629 Center Ave. 

Louisville, Ky. 
May 31, 1914 

American Book Company 
New York City 
Gentlemen : 

I am inclosing fifty-five cents in one-cent stamps for a copy 
of your "Progressive Fifth Reader," which I hope you will 
send me at once. Expecting to hear from you at your earliest 
convenience, I am 

Yours truly 

David Pritchard. 

The pupil is required to examine the foregoing letter 
with the purpose of condensing its contents. Bear in mind 
that we should be almost as brief in business letters as in 
advertisements or telegrams. 

Advertisements 

317. Your mother wishes to procure the services of a laun- 
dress. Write an advertisement to be placed in one of the local 
papers. Remember that an advertiser may direct the persons 
who answer to go to his residence; or, if he prefers, he may 
have the letters addressed to a certain letter and number at 
the newspaper office, where he can call for them. The following 
will illustrate: 

WANTED — A girl to do general housework. Bring 
references to 171 Knox Avenue. 

WANTED — A sewing girl. Address, stating wages de- 
sired, L 57, Leader Office. 

In all such matters, conciseness is the most important quality 
to be sought. 



202 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

this that these those 

318. This points out an object near at hand; these is its 
plural form. That points out an object farther away; those 
is its plural form. The most common error in the use of these 
words is the coupling of their plural forms with singular nouns. 

boy learns well; one does not. 

pair of shoes is dearer than . 

bovs out in the field are enjoying themselves at a same 

of ball. 

girls are making too much noise for us to hear each 

other. 

I like kind of necktie. 

kinds of apples are not to my liking. 

those them 

319. Never use them as an adjective; those is the proper 
word. Them is a pronoun, and should not be followed by a 
noun. 

children are likely to get into mischief. 

The boys standing under the tree are Ernest and David; I 

know very well. 

I expect to be with in a day or two. 

Bring me books. 

Carry flowers to the sick girl. 

Composition — The Shortest Way to 

320. Assign to the pupils a place, the situation of which 
they know, and require them to state in concise terms the 
directions they should take and the streets they should 
consecutively travel from their own homes or from their 
school building in order to reach the place desired. This 
will call for care in avoiding the repetition of certain words 
that will otherwise insist on intruding themselves upon the 
attention of the writers. 



THE SIXTH GRADE 203 

The Preposition 

321. Supply the missing prepositions: 

We were crowded the cabin, 

Not a soul would dare to sleep. — 

It was midnight the waters, 

And a storm was the deep. 

"lis a fearful thing winter 

To be shattered the blast, ■ 

And to hear the rattling trumpet 
Thunder, "Cut away the mast!" 

As thus we sat darkness, 

Each one busy his prayers, — 

1 ' We are lost ! ' ' the captain shouted, 
As he staggered the stairs. 

Write a sentence containing the preposition between. 
Write one containing among; in; into. 

Plural Forms 

322. Reconstruct the following sentences so that each noun 
or pronoun, as far as possible, may be used in the plural form : 

The fly entered the spider's web. 

A mouse was caught by the black eat. 

She has learned her lesson. 

I know where the book is; it is lying on the table. 

Miss Jones is taking her Sunday School class to a picnic. 

mad angry 

323. The dog bit two persons before he was dis- 
patched. 

The — : — man was captured in the woods after a chase of 
more than a mile. 

The boy would not apologize for his misconduct. 

The horse became after he had been bitten by the 

dog. 

Do not be with me, for I did not intend any offense. 

people should be confined in insane asylums. 



204 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

leave let 

324. Practice filling in these blanks with the proper words : 

him go, John, for I want the baking powder imme- 
diately. 

me try this example, Miss Ellis; I think I know how 

to solve it. 

the forest, he struck out over the open country. 

us the patient, so that he may have a chance to 

sleep. 

You may the door open, Sarah, when you go out. 

Do not the dog out of his kennel this morning. 

me alone; I do not wish to be teased. 

me alone; I wish to think a while by myself. 

John asks to be by himself. 

Letters 

325. Construct on paper the diagram of an envelope 
of the size you are accustomed to using and place thereon 
your own address, being careful that your name is some- 
what lower than the middle, and that each succeeding 
item begins in the same vertical line as the first. Write 
numbered streets in words, so that the number of the house 
and that of the street shall not cause confusion in the mind 
of the reader. Although the postman may be particular 
in sorting and delivering mail, it is the duty of letter 
writers to assist him by making every part of the address 
as plain as possible. (See Section 102.) 

Write a letter to Ginn & Co., Boston, Mass., asking the 
firm the price of Frye's geographies. State exactly what 
you desire, and no more. Do not attempt to make such a 
letter lengthy, for business men have little time to read 
long letters. Remember that all commercial forms, includ- 
ing advertisements, telegrams, and letters should contain 
not a single word more than is necessary to express the 
meaning of the writer. 



THE SIXTH GRADE 205 

Topics for Letters 

326. Write a letter to a cousin who lives in Florida. He 
has never seen a snow storm. Tell him what it is like, and what 
pleasure it always affords you. 

Write a letter to your teacher, asking her to inform you 
frankly what she thinks of your progress in school. Tell 
her that you can accept a written criticism in better spirit 
than an oral one, and that that is why you wish to have it 
written. 

Answer , this letter, imagining yourself to be the teacher. 
Make your criticism kind but plain, and attempt to show in 
what way improvement may be brought about. 

Write a letter to a boy or girl friend, relating an exciting 
incident that you witnessed on the street. 

Imagine that you have been sent to a private school. Your 
mother, of course, will be glad to hear from you, and she will 
be pleased to be told about the little things that are occurring 
daily. You may describe one or more of the acquaintances you 
have formed, tell what you have to eat, what the school is like, 
and what you think of your teachers. 

Study the subject of tanning hides, and write a letter to 
Rex Carter, Piedmont, W. Va., explaining the process. 

Write a letter from Niagara Falls to Wilbert Gordon, 443 
Mt. Vernon Avenue, Columbus, Ohio, telling about some of the 
wonders you are engaged in viewing from day to day. 

Write a letter from Detroit, describing the industries and 
chief attractions of that city. 



Composition — What Two Boys Became Angry About, and 
How They Settled Their Quarrel 

327. This is a rather lengthy subject, but it should be 
an interesting one, no matter how the affair ended. The 
girls of the class may describe a difficulty between two of 
their own sex if they prefer. More or less conversation 
may be introduced, and care should be taken to have it 
natural and progressive. 



206 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Quarrels in General 

328. As a continuation of the foregoing, assign a com- 
position with this title. Pupils may be led to state why 
quarrels are unnecessary. Usually one person of the two 
is the aggressor, and in some manner causes annoyance. 
Both finally become angry, hot words ensue, and blows are 
struck. After all is over, each one is heartily ashamed 
of the part he has taken in the affair. This should be 
within the descriptive powers of the sixth grade pupil be- 
cause he is old enough to understand the adage "It takes 
two to make a quarrel," and to show how the trouble 
could have been prevented. 

Quarrels Between Nations 

329. By oral discussion pupils may be led to observe 
that the history of nations is very much like that of indi- 
viduals; they have their misunderstandings, their jeal- 
ousies, their conflicts, but these are much more serious in 
their nature and effects. After their differences have been 
adjusted, both sides realize how easily their quarrel might 
have been avoided by means of moderation and toleration 
on the part of each. Mention might here be made of the 
International Peace Commission. 

Strikes 

330. A strike is a dispute between workmen and the 
firm that employs them. Sometimes it is settled without 
much delay, but occasionally it is carried on so bitterly 
that there is loss, not only of property, but also of life. 
Ask the pupils to describe how a strike may arise : who 
sometimes cause trouble in a strike ; how it is often adjudi- 



THE SIXTH GRADE 207 

eated; how it might have been avoided in the beginning. 
Some pupil may have lived in a district where a strike 
has taken place, and he can tell very clearly what terror is 
felt by the women and children during such a time. 

stop stay 

331. To stop means to eease motion ; to stay means to re- 
main in a place. There is no motion implied in the latter word. 
With these facts in mind fill the following blanks: 

I wish you would at the post office on your way home. 

The drummer is at the Hotel Windsor. 

Will the car long enough at the corner for me to buy 

a paper? 

Some of the pupils had to after school. 

Mary will with the baby while you are away. 

Can you at my bouse on your way back and for 

dinner? 

Composition— Review of a Book 

332. By this time the pupil has read a number of 
books that have appealed to him in a manner perhaps diffi- 
cult for him to explain, but the charm is nevertheless there, 
and the impression will remain. Require him to select 
one of these books and to describe, as well as space will 
permit, the plot, the characters in which he was most inter- 
ested, and the reasons why he prefers it to others he has 
read. A composition of this kind may take days for its 
completion, but it will be worth while to be deliberate about 
it. The hurry work that is often done in language exer- 
cises is seldom of much benefit to the pupil. 

Composition — A Humorous Story 

333. It is not to be supposed that a pupil of the sixth 
grade will be able to compose humorous stories, for that is 



208 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

within the ability of comparatively few writers; but he 
can reproduce something that he has heard or read. Hence 
his chief task will be to recreate the dialogue on which the 
humor, as well as the real interest, of the story usually 
hinges. Here is one taken at random from a daily paper. 
It may be read to the pupils without comment, for such 
productions need no explanation, and repetition here is not 
especially helpful to the child, particularly if the point of 
the joke is apparent to him at first reading. 

"Here, Benny," said Mr. Bloomer to his young son as the 
latter started to church, "are a shilling and a penny. You 
may put which you please into the contribution basket." 

Benny thanked his papa and went to church. 

Curious to know which coin Benny had given, his papa asked 
him when he returned, and Benny replied: 

"Well, papa, it was just this way. The preacher said the 
Lord loveth a cheerful giver, and I knew I could give a penny 
a good deal more cheerfully than I could give a shilling, so I 
just put the penny in." 

The Cobbler 

334. Have you ever taken your shoes to a cobbler? Have 
you stood by as you waited and watched him make the neces- 
sary repairs? If so, relate your experience, making the account 
as complete and connected as possible. 

A Picture Study 

335. The picture may be selected from those in the 
schoolroom or from a magazine. The pupil should be 
allowed to have it close enough for thorough study, so that 
his description will mean something more than a mere 
naming of details. His judgment and imagination should 
be brought into play in the endeavor to interpret the feel- 
ings of the artist and the meaning of the picture. 



THE SIXTH GRADE 209 

Resources of Our State 

336. The pupils should be encouraged to add to the 
common stock of information what they have learned else- 
where than in school. If the discussion be broad enough, 
all will be able to choose different items. 

Historical Stories 

337. The sixth year student has a wealth of material 
at hand for historical reproduction, but it is evident that 
care must be exercised in the amount of work to be placed 
on his shoulders. Good judgment requires that much of 
this should be oral, otherwise he will stagger under the 
burden. Each month of the year will bring its appropriate 
share, and from the sum total the teacher will doubtless 
be able to choose what seems best. She should not by 
any means confine herself to American history in this 
matter, because it is just as important for the pupil 
to have a knowledge of certain of the world's greatest 
personages and events as it is for him to be familiar with 
much that has happened in his own country. Besides, the 
Bible furnishes many interesting stories, with at least some 
of which he should be made acquainted ; and the Greek and 
Roman myths form a part of general literature which can- 
not well be neglected. It will be possible to use only a few 
of these things, but enough may be fed to the learner to 
make him hungry for more; and that is one of the real 
objects aimed at in education. 

Lessons in Etiquette 

"Politeness is to do and say 

The kindest things in the kindest way." 

338. The teacher should make it a part of her pro- 
fessional preparation to be able to discuss intelligently with 



210 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

her boys and girls the proper forms of procedure when they 
are in the company of others, particularly for the sake 
of those who lack such training. It is natural for them 
to do just what their parents have always done and to 
believe that such a course is correct, unless they meet peo- 
ple of culture and determine to pattern after them. A 
girl sees her mother place her knife in her mouth at the 
dinner table, and she does the same thing because she 
knows no better. A boy keeps his hat on his head when 
he meets a lady or an aged person because he has not been 
taught to do differently. When both the girl and the boy 
see how better trained people act, they are not slow to 
adopt at least a part of what is said to be good manners. 
Although the teaching of polite usage may meet with oppo- 
sition in some of the homes, it is nevertheless well to per- 
sist, but with the employment of all the tact necessary to 
remove objections. A great deal of work may take the 
shape of conversations, but when specific directions are 
to be given the written form should be used. 

Discuss such topics as these: 

1. Polite forms of salutation and farewell 

2. Models for excuses and apologies 

3. Behavior on the street and at meetings 

4. How pupils should sit at their desks 

5. What apparel should be worn at the table 

6. What use should be made of the knife; of the fork 

7. Where the spoon should be placed when not in use 

8. What is due the remainder of the company when one of 
their number leaves the table before all have finished eating 

9. The effect of a pleasant manner 

The Virtues 

339. Mcrals and manners are closely connected, and 
the school that makes much of the one should magnify the 



THE SIXTH GRADE 211 

other. The virtues, also, should occupy a prominent place 
in the training of the pupils, for, when all is said, the most 
valuable product of the school must ever be good character. 
Composition work is a help along this line, and sometimes 
it becomes a very important one. The teacher may select 
topics which shall be treated in oral or written form, and 
they should embrace those in which kindness, courtesy, 
dignity, bravery, gentleness, honor, honesty, and the like 
are described as qualities of the mind which all should be 
proud to possess. 

High Prices 

340. A favorite topic these modern times. In a pre- 
liminary oral discussion the pupils are led to draw a com- 
parison between living as it was of old and as it is now; 
between the poverty of the past and the fabulous riches of 
the present; between the scarcity of inventions on the one 
hand and their multiplicity on the other ; between the edu- 
cational drawbacks of olden times and the educational 
advantages of today; between the modesty and content- 
ment of the common classes, which was general, and the 
ambition to outshine others in extravagant living, which is 
universal. From these premises it will be easy to draw 
a conclusion. An outline for the use of the pupils will be 
an excellent thing in bringing this production to a suc- 
cessful termination. 

Subjects for Composition 

341. The Story of Hercules 
From Chicago to Boston 
The Story of Easter Day 
Country Experiences 
Ventilation 



212 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

The Story of Achilles 

The Grocer's Lament 

The Suffragettes 

A Sham Battle 

Cotton and Linen; a Contrast 

An Anecdote of Benjamin Franklin 

Holidays, and the One I Like Best 

The Story of Paul Revere 

Manners on the Street 

The Vacuum Cleaner 

What to Do in Case of Fire 

Jacob and Esau ; .a Study in Contrast 

Icebergs— Where They Are Formed and What Becomes 
of Them 

How I Would Draw a Circle Four Inches in Diameter 

Cornelia and Her Jewels; a Story of Ancient Rome 

Description of a Good-Tempered Person 

In What Ways a Teacher Shows That She Possesses 
Patience 

What the Old Bureau Said to Jane 

I Visit the Doctor 

A Conversation Between Two Girls Who Are Playincr 
School 

A Cat's Complaint 



CHAPTER VII 

THE SEVENTH GRADE 
Outline of Work 

342. 1. Review of essential principles 

2. Study of poems 

3. Technical directions 

4. Punctuation 

5. Distinguishing words, including drill in the 

use of prepositions 

6. Composition 

a. Variety of expression, including combina- 

tion and expansion 

b. Letter writing, directions, topics, criticisms 

c. Imaginative composition 

d. The diary 

e. Descriptions of experiments 
/. Industrial topics 

7. Difficult tense forms 

8. Faulty language 

9. Ethics of school life 

343. The teacher will probably be compelled to spend 
quite a while at the opening of the year in reviewing what 
her pupils have partly learned and partly forgotten ; and 
this review will be very beneficial, because it will recall 
that which they need at all times, and will enable the 
teacher to go much more deeply into the subject than her 
fellow laborers in the lower grades have done. It is a 

213 



214 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

discouraging fact that she must unceasingly struggle with 
the pupil to teach him not to slight the least important part 
of composition, the mechanics of the art, such as the com- 
mas, the periods, the misspelled words; and that her time 
and energy are expended before she can accomplish her ulti- 
mate purpose, namely, the expression of thought and all 
that the term implies. The sixth, seventh, and eighth 
grade pupils are being constantly reproved for their negli- 
gence in these matters, for negligence it is, pure and 
simple. They know that every sentence should begin with 
a capital ; that every declarative sentence should end with 
a period ; that every interrogative sentence should end with 
an interrogation point; that too in the sense of also should 
be preceded by a comma ; that two means twice one ; that — 
yes, a thousand that's; yet the fact remains that they con- 
tinually ignore the very rules that they have been taught 
over and over. There is but one way to conquer this negli- 
gence, and that is by persistence. It is only the persistent 
teacher who obtains results commensurate with her efforts. 

Variety of Expression 

344. Practice in this department of composition is to 
be continued, and the pupils should be encouraged to seek 
variety in connected work as well as in isolated sentences. 
The following are given for reconstruction: 

We noticed a solitary cabin standing on the bank of the river. 
Drawing a hasty sketch, the teacher set us at the task of 
copying it. 

She always tells the truth. 

He described his dream to us. 

The doctor bought a two-year-old pony. 

We have just been informed of the governor's death. 

The poor fellow paid no attention to the passers-by. 

They listened eagerly to the words of the speaker. 



THE SEVENTH GRADE 215 

The gentleman admitted his interest in the matter. 

Beautiful red roses lay in profusion on the ground. 

The trees bending over the stream are willows. 

The new-born lamb was too weak to stand. 

The purse was found; it was returned to the owner. 

Few of us really appreciate the value of time. 

A drummer found the lost purse. 

The day being very clear, we decided to have our picnic. 

I, having laid aside my coat, proceeded to mow the grass. 

Poem for Study 

345. Maiden, that read'st this simple rhyme, 

Enjoy thy youth, it will not stay; 
Enjoy the fragrance of thy prime, 
For, oh, it is not always May ! 

Enjoy the spring of love and youth, 
To some good angel leave the rest; 

For time will soon teach thee the truth, 
There are no birds in last year's nest. 

— Longfellow 

1. Explain the comparison implied in ''fragrance of thy 
prime. ' ' 

2. What is the meaning of the last line in the first stanza 1 ? 

3. "Some good angel" — what wide-spread belief has given 
rise to this term'? 

4. How does time "teach truth"? 

5. What is the lesson to be learned from this extract 1 ? 



Combination 

The Lion and The Fox 

346. A lion had lived many years in the forest. He had sup- 
ported life by preying on other beasts. He had now become old. 
He had lost the swiftness and the power of his youth. The other 
animals were no longer afraid of him. They were able to keep 
out of his reach. 



216 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

He was now in a terrible position. He could obtain no food 
to keep hirn from starving. He scarcely knew what to do. 

He finally decided to retire to a cave. He gave out the infor- 
mation that he was too ill to be abroad. He invited the other 
beasts to visit him. From time to time some of them did so. 
They were never seen again. 

One day a fox came to the mouth of the cave. He asked the 
lion how he felt. 

"Oh, very poorly," said the lion. "Won't you come in and 
talk to me?" 

"You must excuse me," replied the fox. "There is one thing 
that looks queer to me. I see the tracks of many animals. They 
all point into your cave. I see none pointing out. ' ' 

The Method 

This fable is composed almost entirely of simple sen- 
tences. It is to be rewritten in language forms that are 
in common use among seventh grade pupils. The follow- 
ing suggestions may be helpful : 

1. Two simple sentences may be merged into a single com- 
pound sentence. 

2. Two simple sentences may be combined jnto a complex 
sentence by changing one of them into an adjective or an adverbial 
clause. 

3. Two simple sentences may be abridged so as to form one 
simple sentence containing a participial or an absolute phrase. 

Besides this, the imagination is to be called upon for 
assistance in providing needed detail for the story. Here 
are a few hints: 

What may have been the feelings of the lion in his youth 1 ? 

How did the other animals act at his approach? 

How did they act when they learned of his weakness? What 
may some of them have said? 

Why did they visit him? 

Describe a conversation that may have taken place between 
the lion and one of his victims in the cave. 

Draw conclusions based upon the comments of the fox. 



THE SEVENTH GRADE 217 

Distinguishing Words 

347. The following sets of words, while somewhat alike in 
form or meaning, or in both form and meaning, differ sufficiently 
to require discrimination in their use. Illustrate by appropriate 
sentences : 

flee lot relative custom sex suit respectively 

fly many ' relation habit sects suite respectfully 

flow number 

A Diary 

348. As has been suggested in other grades, this may 
constitute the language work of an entire week, and it 
should call for composition of a higher standard than the 
mere synopsis of unconnected events that go to make up 
the day's experiences. Pertinent comments should find a 
prominent place in diary writing, otherwise it will become 
irksome and uninteresting. He who "keeps" a real diary 
treats it as his confidential friend. To it he tells his secrets, 
his ambitions, his hopes, his opinions, in short, his inner- 
most thoughts. The pupil should be actuated by the same 
feelings when he attempts this exercise. 



Composition — An Old Shoe 

349. People like to picture the unreal, and especially is this 
true of the young. Here is an opportunity for you to give 
rein to your imagination. Just one shoe is mentioned; what 
has become of the other? How did the two happen to be sepa- 
rated? Where was the pair made 1 ? Who bought it? Many 
things will come into your mind thai perhaps no one else will 
think of, and therein you will show your originality. Of course, 
you must represent yourself as being this old shoe, for, if you 
do not, the story will lose half its zest in the telling. 



218 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Comedy — "The Tempest" 

350. Pupils will be interested in learning about such 
famous characters as Prospero, his daughter Miranda, the 
ugly monster Caliban, the mischievous little sprite Ariel, 
and others who figure in this attractive comedy. Lamb's 
"Tales from Shakespeare" gives the account, in which 
form it may be read to or by the class. Prepare an out- 
line that will include what is to be described. 

Expansion 

351. Pupils of this grade should thoroughly understand 
that the subject and the predicate are the essential elements 
of the sentence because we can have no sentence without 
them. They form the foundation or skeleton upon or 
about which we arrange our words, phrases, and clauses, 
thereby making, if our work has been done aright, a pleas- 
ing and harmonious whole. The following skeletons are 
given with the view of having them expanded into simple, 
complex, or compound sentences by means of suitable modi- 
fiers. Undue straining to make long sentences should not 
be permitted. Some are to be short, others of a medium 
length, and still others longer, so as to produce variety in 
this respect. 

The merchant sells 
The shadows lengthened 
The girls have been writing 
The Pilgrims landed 
William has gone to another school 
My name is (compound sentence) 
The river (relative clause) flows (adverbial clause) 
The opening sentence (adjective phrase) 
The name (prepositional phrase) will live (adverbial 
clause) 

He was resolved 



THE SEVENTH GRADE 219 

Poem for Study 

Forest Hymn 

352. The groves were God's first temples. Ere man learned 

To hew the shaft, and lay the architrave, 

And spread the roof above them, — ere he framed 

The lofty vault, to gather and roll back 

The sound of anthems; in the darkling wood, 

Amidst the cool and silence, he knelt down 

And offered to the Mightiest, solemn thanks 

And supplication . 

Father, Thy hand hath reared 
These venerable columns, Thou 
Didst weave this verdant roof. 

— Bryant 

1. In what way were the groves ' ' God 's first temples ' ' ? 

2. To what does the second sentence, as far as the word 
anthems, refer? 

3. What is meant by shaft as used here? — by architrave? 

4 What part of speech is cool, ordinarily? How is it used 
in this connection? 

5. Explain venerable columns; verdant roof. 

6. Name the words that refer to the Deity. 

7. With eyes closed, draw a mental picture of such a grove. 



Historical Composition 

The Landing of the Pilgrims 

353. An outline will be very helpful by way of prep- 
aration. Some points to be considered are : the previous 
history of this people ; why they came to America ; where 
they landed ; why they landed there ; what they experienced 
after landing; what great things have resulted from their 
change of country ; some special reasons why the Ameri- 
can people should cherish their memory. 



220 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Frepositions 

354. Mother readily agreed my remaining all night 

with you. 

I do not agree you in the solution of that problem. 

All of us have deep sympathy him his troubles. 

If you do not stay the office too long, I shall wait 

you Wilson's drug store. 

Mr. Marks and I agreed fifty dollars a month as my 

wages. 

This picture will not bear comparison the other. 

There is no comparison the two pictures. 

I stopped the hotel for only a minute. 

I expect to profit this venture to the apaount of one 

thousand dollars. 

Mary's hair differs in color and quantity Martha's. 

There is a difference fifteen the two products. 

The patient died scarlet fever. 

The wall paper corresponds nicely the finish of the 

wood. 

The farmer was killed an ax the hands the 

madman. 

what circumstances was the deed committed? 

The man Avhom I worked received as much wages as I. 

The man whom I worked paid me my wages regularly. 

The boss whom I worked was a very surly fellow. 

I differ you in almost all of your statements. 

He talked me in a most fatherly manner. 

Mr. Mason talked Mr. Smiles an hour. 

Deliver this letter haste Mr. Simpson his 

office Graham Street. 

Mary's tact rescued her an embarrassing situation. 

Blackboard Composition 
A Polite Boy 

355. This is begun by a pupil who writes the first 
sentence, and, as no one knows just how the story is to end, 
all will be curious to ascertain in what way the boy is to 



THE SEVENTH GRADE 221 

show his politeness, and therefore eager to assist in deter- 
mining his course of action. Another pupil writes the 
second sentence, and this plan is followed until the tale is 
brought to a close. Perhaps some one in the class will be 
able to explain the value of an exercise of this nature. 

Imaginative Composition 

The Adventures of a Dime 

356. Once more you forget who you are and become an 
object that is inanimate. This object is suddenly to be endued 
with life and all that the word means, and it is to take part in 
a series of adventures that will show how a dime, under proper 
conditions, can see and hear just as well as a human being. 

Incorrect Expressions 

357. Are you in the habit of using any of the following 
italicized expressions in your speech 1 ? Cease doing so if you 
desire to be considered an intelligent and discriminating stu- 
dent. Criticise these sentences in class, and afterward recon- 
struct them so that they shall be models of good English. 

I am scared of the dark. 

That's a swell hat. I should like to have one. 
Those two people are as thick as they can be; they are 
always together. 

He lives way over the river. 

John leaned again the door and smiled. 

I shall be ready again you come back. 

I shall be here this afternoon whenever you come. 

The salesladies at this store are very accommodating. 

It is sort of early yet. 

That's the teeniest baby I have ever seen. 

The room is twenty foot long. 

The both of them were to blame. 

Martha don't know but what she will return next week. 

I am some better today. 

I think this is the party you want. 

I am most starved. 



222 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

My Most Serious Faults in English 

358. Now, turning your attention to yourself, describe some of 
the faulty habits you have formed both in speaking and in writ- 
ing. Proceed as if you were having a talk with a friend and, in 
doing so, avoid the repetition of certain words that are continually 
struggling to gain entrance into your compositions. Perhaps, if 
you are able to remember the corrections made by your teach- 
ers, you will be materially assisted in rendering this exercise 
reasonably complete and interesting. Besides this, self-examina- 
tion in language work is frequently more beneficial than criti- 
cisms offered by others. 

necessity ability permission possibility 

359. You recite your lesson if you learn it within 

the next ten minutes. 

One live as a conqueror, but he die like a man. 

I endure this agony any longer? 

These foreigners talk English, and they be made 

to do so. 

We work while it is yet day. 

They accomplish the work if they were to put forth all 

their energy. 

They said it be possible for them to attend to the 

matter. 

Poem for Study 

Sundown 

360. The summer sun is sinking low ; 

Only the tree tops redden and glow; 
Only the weathercock on the spire 

Of the neighboring church is a flame of fire ; 
All is in shadow below. 

beautiful, awful summer day, 

What hast thou given, what taken away? 
Life and death, and love and hate, 
Homes made happy or desolate, 
Hearts made glad or gay. 

— Longfellow 



THE SEVENTH GRADE 223 

1. Explain the last four lines of the first stanza. 

2. Answer the first part of the question; the second part. 

3. What causes the "flame of fire"? 

4. Why beautiful? Why awful? 

5. What other word can you suggest for spire? For glow? 

Distinguishing Words 
plenty plentiful 

361. Plenty is a noun ; plentiful is an adjective. Pupils 
should have no trouble in the use of these words. 

There is for us both. 

The abundant rain and warm weather will cause a sup- 
ply of strawberries this year. 

The bees will have a chance to lay by a store of honey. 

There was of butter, but not enough bread. 

Babies seem to be on this square. 

What is the difference between awful and mighty? Between 
awful and very? Write illustrative sentences. 

A Short Review 

362. Mary her baby sister; she to take care 

of her. 

I would so much to take a walk with you. 

Do you to hear the birds sing? 

Should we or our neighbors'? 

Would you to go with me this afternoon ? 

The brothers each other; they do not to be sep- 
arated. 

Mother, please me go with you to the store. 

You not go today, but you another time. 

No ; I go today, or not at all. 

You not go now or at any other time. 

We talk if we do so quietly. 

William has a picture of his teacher, but it is- not so 

good as the one Minnie of her mother last week. 

I have not him long. 

The ball was with great force. 



224 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

The city was by the earthquake. 

His work is always well . 

The picture was on the wall. 

The man was yesterday. 

He has after the book. 

He found that it had been on the table. 

John him a present. 

The present was to him by John. 

The lion upon his prey. 

I have too much water. 

She a song - , but it was poorly. 

Have you for more money? 

The doctor in haste. 

Her dress was by the wringer. 

''My fingers are almost ," said Jack, one cold morning. 

Punctuation 

363. Will you come too 
Indeed I cannot find time today 

In fact he was the only one in the party who had kept per- 
fectly quiet 

Our intention therefore was to follow the thieves 
With greatest respect I am very truly yours J T Thomas 
Sink or swim live or die survive or perish I give my hand 
and my heart to this vote 

The greatest of American generals Washington was not 
always appreciated 

Three Presidents Lincoln Garfield and MeKinley were shot 
down by desperadoes 

Rules for Letter Writing 

364. 1. Write the first line of the address somewhat below 
the middle of the envelope. 

2. Begin each line of the address the same distance from the 
left edge of the envelope. 

3. Omit all punctuation marks from the address except the 
period in abbreviations and the comma when used to separate 
two or more items in the same line. 



THE SEVENTH GRADE 225 

4. If possible, avoid the use of four lines. This may be 
done by writing the name of the city and of the state in the 
third line. Sometimes one of the items is written to the left of 
the others. • 

5. Write the name of the state in full if the use of the 
abbreviation is likely to cause confusion in the minds of the 
clerks or carriers. 

6. Omit the comma after the closing phrase and the period 
after the signature, except when these items form parts of a 
sentence. 

7. Apply the same rules to the writing and the punctuation 
of the heading and the salutation. 

Examples 

736 Forest Street 
St. Louis, Missouri 
March 17, 1915 
Mr. Stephen Henderson 
Deer Park, Maryland 
My dear Mr. Henderson : 

I am in receipt of your favor, etc. 

Very truly yours 

William H. Jenkins 
Or 

With best regards, I remain 

Your sincere friend, 

Anna Dixon. 

In accordance with these rules, write the following addresses 
in proper form, remembering that beauty or symmetry of 
arrangement and economy in punctuation marks are two im- 
portant considerations. Employ whatever abbreviations you 
deem necessary to produce the results desired. 

Mrs. Julius Wilhelm, 82 South Avenue. Oakdale, Maine 

Mr. Jacob Pender, 1318 Chapline Street, Wheeling. West 
Virginia 

Reverend John T. Knox, North Star, Allegheny County, 
Pennsylvania 

Doctor Henry L. Graves, Hinsdale, New Hampshire 



226 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Clarence May, 146 South Twenty-third Street, Kansas City, 
Missouri 

Mr. L. E. Holderby, Diamond National Bank, Dubuque, Iowa 

Miss Cora Dana, 237 Freedom Street, Denver, Colorado, care 
of John Simpson 

Cox & Vining, 72 Madison Street, New York City 

Subject Matter for Letters 

Make the subject an interesting one. If possible, supply 
an incentive for beginning and carrying on the work to 
successful completion. It is hoped that the following 
topics will in part accomplish what is desired in this 
direction. 

Your desks are small and uncomfortable. Write a courteous 
letter to your board of education, apprising them of the situa- 
tion and requesting them to take action toward furnishing new 
ones. 

Among your friends is a wealthy woman who is acquainted 
with your reliability and good judgment. Write a letter inform- 
ing her that you have knowledge of a family in great destitution, 
illness of several of its members and the inability of the father 
to obtain employment having brought about this condition of 
affairs. Explain the situation at length, and courteously request 
her to investigate the case. 

Write a letter of congratulation to a former schoolmate who 
has removed to a distant town, and has stood highest in his 
classes there. 

Write a letter of acknowledgment from this pupil, and give 
his impressions of the locality in which he has settled. 

Write a letter inviting a friend to take part in a hay ride. 
Give the names of some who will be there, and the route to be 
pursued. 

Write an answer to the above, accepting or declining the 
invitation. 

Write a letter to a pupil in another town, preferably hundreds 
of miles away, telling him something about your school and 
town, and requesting him to reply in a similar vein. Hand this 
letter to your teacher, with the request that she forward it to 



THE SEVENTH GRADE 227 

the school superintendent of the town in which this future 
correspondent lives, there to be given to the pupil whom the 
superintendent may select. 

Write a letter to your sister who is absent on a visit, telling 
her what you have been doing since she went away. 

Write her a second letter, giving an account of a sermon 
your minister preached last Sunday. 

Write a letter to the truant officer of your district, reporting 
a boy who is not attending school ; tell him when and how you 
made the discovery, and give full directions for finding the house 
in which the boy lives. 

Write a letter to a boy who has lately lost his mother by 
death. Express in fitting terms your sympathy for him. 

From New Orleans, write a letter to your father, descriptive 
of the situation, climate, products, imports, and exports of that 
city. Full oral discussion must precede the writing of this 
letter. The foregoing is an example of what may be done in 
the case of other important cities of the world. Geography is 
thus correlated with composition, to the decided benefit of the 
pupil. 

You have read advertisements of houses for rent. Select 
one that you think may suit your purpose, and write to the 
advertiser, making the request that he supply you with the 
particulars you desire. You will want information regarding 
the laundry, the basement, the number of rooms on the first 
floor, the kind of hall, the number of rooms on the second 
floor, the bath, etc. You will, of course, wish to look the house 
over, and to obtain permission to do so. 

A man advertises a bicycle for sale. Write him a letter con- 
taining a list of questions you think should be answered. 

A man advertises for a boy to do office work. Answer this 
advertisement; tell him what you have been doing in school, 
and what you think you can do for him. 

You will want a recommendation from your teacher or prin- 
cipal. Write such a letter, making it neither too modest nor 
too flattering. Avoid the use of unnecessary words. 

Write a letter to a sickly boy, giving him some advice regard- 
ing the kind of exercise you think he should take in order to 
become more vigorous. 

You find a purse that has been lost by a woman. She 



228 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

advertises for its return. Write her a letter, stating that you 
have found such an article and wish her to call and prove her 
ownership. 

Write a letter to one of your young friends, describing the 
doing's and sayings of your baby sister or brother. 

Write to a publisher, inclosing a money order for a certain 
book you want. 

Your uncle has sent you a book as a Christmas present. 
Write him a letter of acknowledgment, telling how much and why 
you like the book. 

Write a letter descriptive of something you have made in 
the manual training department, or of something you have 
constructed without any help. 



Some Technical Directions 

365. Write a sentence having the case of address at the 
beginning; in the middle; at the end. 

Write a sentence containing a participle which modifies the 
subject. 

Write a sentence containing a participle which modifies the 
object. 

Write two simple sentences about an automobile, and com- 
bine them into a compound sentence. 

Write two simple sentences about an apple, and combine 
them into a simple sentence with a compound object or an 
attribute complement. 

Write two simple sentences about a horse, and combine them 
into a complex sentence. 

Write a sentence containing a possessive plural modifying 
the subject ; one containing a possessive singular modifying the 
attribute or object. 

Write a sentence containing a verb which denotes permission ; 
obligation; necessity; possibility; ability. 

Write a sentence denoting intention, in the first person; in 
the second; in the third. 

Write a sentence denoting determination, in the first person; 
in the second; in the third. 

Write an exclamatory sentence denoting anger; surprise; awe. 



THE SEVENTH GRADE 229 

Write an imperative sentence denoting a request; an appeal; 
a command. 

Select a compound sentence from your reader and reconstruct 
it so that it shall become two simple sentences. 

In the same manner, form two simple sentences from a com- 
plex sentence. 

Write a sentence containing the past tense of lie; give; come; 
weep; burst; creep; eat. 

Similarly, construct sentences containing past participles of 
the following verbs, used as modifiers of the subject: freeze, 
take, steal, break, teach, love, tear, tease, construct, build, train, 
sweep, cook. 

Write a series beginning a sentence; a series closing a 
sentence. 

Write a sentence containing an adjectival phrase; reconstruct 
so that the phrase shall become an adjective. 

Similarly, compose a sentence containing an adverbial phrase; 
reconstruct so that the phrase shall become an adverb. 

Study of Poems 

The Old Clock on the Stairs — Longfellow 

366. What is such a clock sometimes called now? What 
other names are applied to portico? How does the clock "point 
and beckon with its hands"? How can its voice be "low and 
light" by day, and "distinct as a passing footstep's fall" at 
night? What does vicissitude mean? Explain "skeleton at the 
feast." What is the meaning of "never here, forever there"? 
What is a horologe f 

An Afternoon in February — Longfellow 

367. What do you observe regarding the rhyme? What two 
words do not rhyme? Did you ever see a window "glimmer 
red"? Why is the river "dead"? What are the shadows 
mentioned in the fourth stanza? What is a knell? Where are 
the shadows trailing? How is the heart "tolling within"? 
In what frame of mind must the poet have been to write as 
he did? Do you think the season had anything to do with his 
mood ? 



230 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Letter Writing 

368. Cleveland, Ohio, May 31st, 1909 
My dearest Daughter: So you have run out of money 

and want some sent immediately ? Extravagant girl ! How 
do you want it? In cents, dimes, dollars or postage stamps? 
I thought when you left the city that you would not have suffi- 
cient to last two weeks to say nothing of a month. I shall 
forgive you this time but you had better be a better bookkeeper 
on your next visit or you will have a serious deficit on hands. 
Drop me a letter when you can and in the meantime give my 
love to your aunt and the rest. 

Affectionately 

Your father 
There are several errors in this letter; have the pupils 
discover as many as they can. Some hints are appended : 

Is it necessary, even if absolutely correct, to have an st follow 
the j I in the date? Let us adopt the newspaper method. 

Suppose this girl were the only daughter of the writer — 
would it be correct to call her his dearest daughter? Or, if she 
were one of two or more, would it be courtesy, to say nothing 
of discretion, on his part to call her his favorite daughter? 

What do grammarians say about the use of had better? 

Hoav do you suppose that the term "drop me a letter" arose? 

What is the rule for the use of the colon and the dash after 
the salutation? 

Blackboard Correction 

369. 6371 Center Ave 

Cincinnati 
John S. Miquelon June 14 02 

1673 Broad st. N. Y. 

Have you got the Story of a bad boy? I would like to have 
you send it to me c. o. d. Send it by express, and I will pay 
for it when it comes. Please be prompt, because I am in a hurry 
to get it. Send the book to 

Samuel Delaplain 



THE SEVENTH GRADE 231 

The foregoing letter is to be criticised by the pupils. 
Impress upon them the necessity for brevity. 

Suggestive queries: Should the salutation ever be omitted? 
How should the title of a book be written 1 ? What does C. 0. D. 
mean? What part of the third sentence is unnecessary 1 ? Con- 
dense the first three sentences into one, using the imperative 
form. Do you believe that the firm will pay attention to the 
request in the next sentence"? Is "send the book to" at all 
necessary 1 ? Is it correct to write an abbreviation without a 
period'? What have you learned regarding the word got? Re- 
write this letter, using not more than two sentences. 

370. Similarly, have them correct the following : 

Briclgeville, Pa., Feb'y 14, '09 
S. B. Charters, Pittsburgh, Pa. 

My Dear Sir. 

I shall inclose an order which I wish you to fulfill and send 
to me by freight. These are the articles I want : 
1 bbl. of baldwin apples 

1 bbl. of potatoes 

2 25 lb sacks of sugar 
10 lbs. of proons 

Yours respectively 

Simon Freshwater 

371. Columbus, Ohio 

June 12, 1911 

Miss Elizabeth Holmes, 
Grant School, 
Columbus, Ohio. 

My dear Miss Holmes: 

I take the liberty of addressing you on a matter that may be 
of interest to you. I shall be glad to employ one of your pupils 
as messenger boy during the summer vacation, provided you have 
one whom you can recommend in these regards : 

Is he regular in his attendance? Does he apply himself to 
the work of the school 1 ? Is he polite in his demeanor toward you 



232 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

and his roommates'? Is he quick to take up the meaning of 
what is told him ? Is he a fair writer? Do you consider him 
an all-round good boy*? 

If you have a pupil who has all these qualifications, send 
him to me any afternoon this week. 

Very truly yours 

Thomas Davidson 
413 Klein Building 

372. When the boy, Fred Stanton, by name, calls on Mr. 
Davidson, the latter requests him to write an application for 
the position. Imagining yourself to be this boy, use the language 
you think appropriate, and sign his name. 

373. You have made an engagement to spend Saturday after- 
noon with your friend Darwin Hodder. Write the letter in 
which you accept his invitation. 

Circumstances prevent your keeping this engagement. Notify 
Mr. Hodder of the fact and ask him to postpone the pleasure 
in store for you to another time. 

Industrial Topics 

374. Much of the information incidental to a composi- 
tion of this kind must be supplied by the teacher. She 
should make herself familiar with the most important 
details of the chief industries of her state and of her neigh- 
borhood. Her geography, her educational periodical, her 
newspaper, will furnish abundance of what is needed for 
the purpose ; and the pupils, properly interested, will add 
largely to the store. Embarrassment will probably arise 
from this very abundance, but the children may be per- 
mitted to select what pleases them most. There is no more 
valuable department of composition work than this, for 
the reason, among others, that the pupils realize they are 
using their own material in the description. There is much 



THE SEVENTH GRADE 233 

in providing a motive that will enlist their hearty coopera- 
tion, and, if this is done, in the majority of cases the com- 
position period will seldom be a dry one. 

List of Industrial Topics 

375. The Raising of Wheat. This may begin with the sow- 
ing of the grain and the different means employed in this depart- 
ment of the work, such as sowing by hand and with the drill; 
the kinds of wheat raised; when each is sowed; the parts of the 
country in which each is produced; the cutting and the binding 
of wheat, and the machinery employed for that purpose; the 
original implements utilized, such as the sickle and the cradle; 
the threshei", and what is done in the threshing ; the shipment of 
the wheat ; the elevator. 

The Slaking of Flour. The original flour mill; the mill race; 
the water wheel ; the stones used in grinding the wheat ; the 
steps taken to separate the flour from the bran; the uses of 
bran ; the qualities of white flour ; the flour that results from the 
grinding of the wheat without separation; the value of .the 
different grades of flour; the modern flour mill; the chief cities 
in which flour is made, and why the mills are located there. 

The Making of Bread. The baker uses different kinds of 
flour in his business. Why? The various methods of making 
bread; how the flour is prepared for baking; hi what it is baked; 
other uses of flour, such as in the making of cakes, doughnuts, 
rolls, and pies. How the bread is delivered; the prices of flour 
and of bread. 

The Logging Industry. Where the camps are situated, and 
why ; how the trees are cut down ; how they are transported to 
the nearest streams; how they are fastened together; where they 
are floated; the sawmill; some cities to which the lumber is 
taken; what is done with it there; what towns are famous for 
fine furniture; what varieties of wood are most valuable for 
this purpose; the kinds that compose the furniture ami the 
wooden parts of your house. 

The Pottery Industry. This is confined to comparatively 
few cities, yet the output is tremendous. The pupil will he called 



234 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

upon to mention the qualities of the clay that is used in pottery 
work; how it is prepared; how clay utensils are made; the 
various processes they undergo before they are ready for the 
salesroom; what are called ''seconds;" some of the most impor- 
tant manufacturing centers. 

Iron Manufacture. Whence the ore comes ; how it is obtained ; 
how shipped; where shipped; the most important iron and steel 
centers; what is done with the ore; the various names that are 
applied to the product; how iron is changed to steel; the differ- 
ence between them; the uses of iron; the uses of steel; the articles 
that are manufactured from them; tempering, and in what it 
consists. 

The Glass Industry. The ingredients that form glass; the 
different kinds of glass, and the components of each ; the processes 
that finally terminate in the formation of glass; to what uses 
glass is put; mirrors; plate glass; the probabilities and possi- 
bilities of its utilization; the important glass centers. 

Natural Gas. Why so called; where found; how it was dis- 
covered; usually accompanies what; how conducted to cities, and 
for what purposes; why care should be exercised in its house- 
hold use; what must be done when it is burned for light; in 
what industries it is especially valuable. 

The Raising of Cotton. It is frequently possible for the 
teacher or pupils to obtain specimens for use in the classroom. 
Discuss the planting of the seed ; the attention paid to the plant ; 
the soil and climate most suitable for its cultivation; the pulling 
of the cotton; preparation for market; the principal markets; 
the manufacture of cotton goods; where the manufacturing 
centers are situated and why; what are made of cotton. 

The Tobacco Industry. It may be of value to the young boy 
to learn something of this important industry, and to study the 
evil effects of the narcotic when used by a growing person. 
Follow this outline: Where tobacco is raised; what the plant 
looks like; what part of the plant is used; what is done with the 
leaves when they are pulled or cut; into what they are made; 
who are engaged in the manufacture of tobacco and cigars; 
scrap; how cigars are made; why almost every community has 
a factory; how plug tobacco and "fine cut" are made; of what 
cigarettes are composed; what drugs are often put into fine cut 



THE SEVENTH GRADE 235 

and cigarettes; what form of tobacco is most injurious; what 
part of the body is most affected by smoking ;• its effect upon the 
nervous system; taxation; why laws have been passed in certain 
states regarding the manufacture and sale of cigarettes. 

The Making of Brooms. What enters most largely into the 
manufacture of brooms; where it is raised; the other materials 
that are used; the process of putting them together; the prices 
of brooms; the whisk broom, and why so called. 

Ice Cream. This is an established favorite with the young 
people of America, and yet it was never heard of in the old 
days. The seventh grade pupil can readily understand the prin- 
ciple upon which its manufacture is based, and should be made 
acquainted with it. He should study the freezer; of what it 
consists; why the interior vessel is made of tin or some other 
metal; why the exterior vessel is made of wood; why salt is 
used with the ice; why the contents are constantly stirred, and 
what would happen if they were not; what would be the result 
if the interior vessel were of wood, and the exterior one of tin; 
some of the dangers attendant upon the eating of so pleasant 
a dessert. 

The Dairy Business. Much has been said of late years about 
proper sanitation in the production and treatment of such im- 
portant articles of food as milk, butter, and cheese, and there 
is a great deal to be done if present theories are correct. A 
goodly part of the composition should be devoted to the neces- 
sity for cleanliness both in milking and in the care of milk 
before it is placed on the table. Discuss the stable, the condi- 
tion of the cow, the milking operation ; the cooling of the milk ; 
the care to be taken of it after it has reached the home; who 
handles milk bef ore it is consumed ; cream ; skim milk ; steri- 
lization. 

Butter Making. A part of the milk on the farm is usually 
made into butter, and here cleanliness is just as important as 
it is in the case of milk; in fact, butter making is only a con- 
tinuation of the treatment of milk. We should take into con- 
sideration the churn and its care; the preparation of cream for 
churning; churning, with a brief description of the different 
kinds of churns; salting; the working of butter to free it from 
water and to distribute the salt; why some butter is very good 



236 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

and some very bad ; how butter should be kept ; the tendency of 
both butter and milk to absorb odors; oleomargarine (observe 
that g in this word has the hard sound); how it is made; the 
creamery, and how it differs from the ordinary farm dairy; the 
prices of oleomargarine, butterine, creamery butter, and country 
butter. 

Punctuation 

376. Julia said Mary on what day is the picnic 

On Tuesday I think was the reply do you intend going 
No I expect to go to the country with mamma on that day 
The products of Brazil Canada and Russia differ greatly 
Boys hats are cheap but womens are usually dear 
My dear Mr. Hays I write to inquire the price of potatoes 
and tomatoes 

I wish mamma that you would go with us too 
I wish mamma that you would go with us two 

Brief Exercises 

377. Explain how titles of books and stories, and subjects of 
compositions should be written. 

Write a paragraph in description of the proper manner of 
seating one's self at his desk, giving reasons for your state- 
ments. 

Write a paragraph on the correct position of the body while 
lying in bed. 

Write one or more paragraphs on the subject of keeping one's 
temper under trying circumstances, and tell how you succeeded 
in doing so. 

Write one or more paragraphs on the manner in which you 
were treated by an obliging clerk, and state why he or she 
should fare well on that account. 

Give several directions regarding etiquette at the table; also 
regarding the etiquette of the schoolroom. 

Write one or more paragraphs on the tipping evil, and state 
how you think it can be abolished. 

Give some hints as to the preparation of a bed for flowers 
or vegetables. 



THE SEVENTH GRADE 237 

Distinguishing Words 
site situation location 

378. It will be worth while to learn the meaning of these 
words because they are used very frequently, especially in the 
study of geography and history. Place the proper word in 
each of these sentences: 

Building are plentiful in Belmont. 

The of boundary lines is done by civil engineers. 

If I obtain a in the city, I shall immediately select a 

for a house. 

The soldiers sought a for a fort. 

What is the of Florence 1 ? 

invent discover lazy idle 

379. You often use these words, but do you stop to consider 
what is the signification of each as opposed to its fellow*? Name 
five instances of famous discoveries; of famous inventions. 
Write a sentence in which one of these words is used erroneously, 
and state your reason for thinking so. Who is more to be 
pitied, the idle or the lazy boy*? 

A Method of Correcting Compositions 

380. 1. The compositions are exchanged. 

2. They are read by the pupils for the detection of 
misspelled words. 

3. They are read a second time for correction in punc- 
tuation. 

4. They are read a third time for the discovery of mis- 
takes in grammar. 

5. They are read a fourth time for betterment in 
arrangement or expression. 

There is an incentive for each pupil in this method, 
namely, the honor of bringing to light the greatest number 
of errors. He may become too zealous in his pursuit, but 



238 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

the discretion of the instructor will generally act as a 
brake upon his enthusiasm. 

Another Method 

381. Pupils are called to the teacher's desk individu- 
ally and are asked to read their compositions just loud 
enough for her to hear. They are then quite likely to find 
many of their own mistakes without suggestion. For 
example, one will pause in the midst of his reading and say, 
"That is not a good sentence," at the same time substi- 
tuting a better one ; or, " Don 't you think this is a better 
word than that ? " ; or, "I forgot my period " ; or, " That 
word was misspelled." 

This method, if applied to each member of the class, 
will take more time than is at the teacher's disposal, but 
those not called on at one recitation may be taken care of 
at another. The pupil is the gainer whenever he, instead 
of some one else, makes corrections of his own work. There 
are some faults, of course, that he can not discover with 
any number of readings; here is where the intelligent 
teacher has the opportunity for doing some of her best 
work. 

Distinguishing Words 
pride vanity proud vain 

382. Pride denotes a feeling arising from satisfaction 
in a possession or an accomplishment. Sometimes it is 
commendable, sometimes it is not. Vanity is a feeling that 
has no commendable features. It is usually characteristic 
of light-headed people whose self-satisfaction has no right 
to existence. Proud and vain are the corresponding 
adjectives. A few examples are given for practice : 



THE SEVENTH GRADE 239 

William has taken great in his work; it is of an excellent 

character. 

The peacock is very of his feathers. 

She must be a woman, for she spends so much time 

before her mirror. 

Why did the Preacher say, "All is "? 

She was of her name because so many of her ancestors 

were men of distinction. 

The old man, with his paint and powder, has the of a 

fashionable woman. 



What Has Made Our City Great 

383. Do you live in a city? If not, describe the nearest 
one. There is said to be a reason for everything; and, if 
that be true, there must be a reason why a city or town 
was located just where it is and why it has grown as rap- 
idly as it has. A study of the conditions attending the growth 
of any city should be the work of days, not that of an 
hour; therefore it Avill be profitable to discuss the matter in class, 
each pupil bringing to the general fund the information he may 
have been able to glean at home and from the geography, the 
newspaper, the cyclopedia. After it has been worked over in the 
classroom, each pupil will have an abundance of material from 
which to choose. How he uses it will depend very much upon his 
judgment as to what is important. An outline is desirable. 



Synonyms 

384. A knowledge of synonymous words and expressions is 
essential to him who would become a successful speaker or writer, 
and the wider that knowledge, combined with the skill to apply 
it, the more likely he will be to please his hearers or his readers. 
The accompanying words are suggested for practice. Place each 
of them in a suitable sentence, then rewrite, substituting for the 
given word one that in your opinion will answer the same pur- 
pose. Sometimes ridiculous blunders arise from these substitu- 
tions, but if you commit one or more, the mistakes will do no 
harm, particularly if you do not repeat them. The teacher is 



240 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

not dissatisfied with the pupil who makes mistakes, but she is 
likely to be with him who makes them continually and in spite 
of all warnings: 

magnificent brilliant events terrible conscious 

eager revolution amuse worship eradicate 

Opposites 

385. The study of words of contrary meanings is beneficial 
to the student, and for that reason a list is subjoined. Find 
what you think is the most appropriate word to use as an opposite 
and place it in a sentence. 

display extravagant surly hinder recognize 

disease miserable hero silent intelligent 

Ambiguity 

386. A sentence that may be construed in more than one 
way is said to be ambiguous. Each of the following sentences 
is subject to two interpretations. Discover the cause of the 
ambiguity, and make such changes as are needed to express the 
meaning intended. 

Have you been here before today"? 
I cannot spell one of the words in my lesson. 
Mary has been thinking of coming to see you for a long time. 
This is the likeness of the man that painted our house and 
his wife. 

Descriptions of Experiments 

387. This is something that should be useful as well 
as interesting to the young student. The experiment must 
be striking enough to hold his attention, and must have 
sufficient value to be worth while. A few are given below. 
The pupil should study the mechanical appliances, the 
ingredients, the important steps in the experiments, the 
results, and the lessons to be learned. 



THE SEVENTH GRADE 241 

Rub a comb briskly with a piece of cloth, then bring it within 
an inch of the hair. Observe what follows. The same phenome- 
non may be noticed when the hair is combed. 

Rub a ruler in the same way. Bring it close to small bits of 
paper and watch the result. These two experiments will give 
the teacher a chance to explain something of the properties of 
magnetism and electricity. 

Light a candle and invert over it a common mason jar. Have 
the pupils observe the progress of the experiment, and note what 
collects on the inner side of the jar. Combustion forms two 
products, one of them being water vapor. 

A tablespoonful of sodium carbonate and an equal quantity 
of tartaric acid may be mixed thoroughly, yet no change of any 
kind occurs. Now place the mixture in the bottom of a narrow 
jar and add a little water. A violent action will immediately 
follow, a very large quantity of foam being formed. If the 
glass is not too large or too deep, the foam will be carried out 
over the top. This mixture is similar to the ' ' Seidlitz powder, ' ' 
and is identical in its action. 

Procure a caterpillar and place it in a closed receptacle con- 
sisting of wire netting, such as is used for window screens. 
Supply the worm with plenty of leaves, and watch develop- 
ments from day to day. 

Place a piece of cardboard eight or ten inches square on a 
desk, or elevate it on a jar, so that the experiment may be 
viewed without difficulty. A teaspoonful of sugar and one of 
potassium chlorate — a very common substance obtainable at any 
drugstore — are to be mixed thoroughly and laid on the card- 
board. The potassium chlorate occurs in the form of crystals, 
but these may be easily powdered. A few drops of sulphuric 
acid may now be poured on the mixture, care being taken that 
none falls on the hands or the clothing. A brief description 
of these ingredients may be added? The object of this experi- 
ment is to show that entirely new substances can be formed by 
the combination of two or more dissimilar ones. Thus, the two 
white substances, sugar and potassium chlorate, unite with sul- 
phuric acid and produce vapors which rise in the air and dis- 
appear, and a coaly, porous mass, which remains on the cardboard. 
Their union is accompanied by hissing sounds and violet-colored 
flames. 



242 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Combustion produces two substances, one of them being water 
vapor. This component has already been demonstrated in the 
experiment with the lighted candle. The other is carbonic acid. 
To prove that breathing is really a process of combustion or 
burning, we may show the presence of water vapor by breathing 
on a smooth, cold surface, such as that of glass, and the presence 
of carbonic acid by blowing our breath through a straw into 
a glass of lime water. The turning of the clear liquid into one 
of a milky color is proof that the breath contains carbonic acid. 

Language Problems 

388. 1. James Perry is the proprietor of a store, and 
Oliver Dano is his clerk. You owe Mr. Perry a certain amount 
of money for merchandise purchased from him, and call at 
his establishment for the purpose of settling the account. You 
hand the money to Oliver Dano, who gives you a receipted 
bill. Write what you think should be the complete wording of 
this bill. 

2. Your mother wishes you to return from school at half- 
past two o'clock this afternoon, but has no time to write the 
necessary excuse. She asks you to do this for her. Prepare such 
an excuse, paying especial attention to the signature. 

3. "John used the word and three times in his second 
sentence." 

Change the foregoing so that the italicized word shall be in 
the plural number. Write the rule for pluralizing words used 
as nouns. 

4. The word funny is very meddlesome. It insists on taking 
the place of strange and odd on all possible occasions. Every- 
thing is funny; nothing is strange or odd. Study these three 
words and place them in sentences to illustrate what you have 
learned about them. 

5. Observe the meaning of get and got in these sentences. 
Keplace each of them with a word that will answer the purpose 
just as well as if not better than they. 

Mrs. Jones got a dozen of eggs at Parker's store for twenty 
cents. 

I got two hundred dollars from Mr. Simpson for six months. 
In solving this problem, Mary got help from Susan. 



THE SEVENTH GRADE 243 

I will try to get "The King of the Golden River" at the 
library for you this evening. 

Where shall I get another singer for the concert *? 

I got this pamphlet from the second shelf of the bookcase. 

Julia gets her lessons easily. 

Joseph is trying to get the prize. 

Mr. Fulton gets three dollars a day for his labor. 

I can't get him to do his writing well. 

6. On a sheet of paper make a number of columns equal to 
the number of the parts of speech. Head the first with the word 
noun, the second with the word pronoun, etc. Suppose, now, 
that you are asked to form as many derivatives from the word 
fright as you can. You know, of course, that fright is a noun 
and is therefore to be placed in the first column; that frighten 
is a verb, and should appear in the third column; that frightful 
is an adjective, and that frightfully is an adverb, each of which 
words should be written in its proper position. Sometimes a 
particular column will contain more than one word, while others 
will be unoccupied. 

The following are given for practice. By the time you have 
finished this exercise, you may be able to state why it should be 
a helpful one. 

consider excite please delight vain 

certain differ chief astonish hope 

timid think observe play down 

7. Substitute for each italicized word one of similar meaning : 
A loud shout followed, and the whole throng hurried off. 
Hugh made no answer, but, snatching the rope fro in his 

companion's hand, proceeded to bind John himself. 

"Ha, ha!" roared the fellow, smiting his leg. 

"You don't think," turning restlessly in his bed as he spoke, 
"these people will desert me when the hour arrives?" 

Distinguishing- Words 
healthy healthful 

389. Healthy means having vigor of constitution, and 
hence is applied to the condition of that which has life and 



244 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

growth. Healthful means producing health, and is gener- 
ally applied to that which nourishes growth. 

A human being is healthy or unhealthy. A plant may 
be healthy or unhealthy in the same sense, but it is health- 
ful or unhealthful when used as food. For practice : 

This bush seems to be a one, for it is growing rapidly. 

The climate of California is very . 

exercise and plenty of food should do wonders for him. 

While I do not claim to have a constitution, I am 

seldom ill. 

There is an looking stoop to his shoulders that I do 

not like. 

A mind in a body should be the motto of every 

person. 

Great Personages 

390. The pupil of the seventh grade should know 
something of general history; how much, depends upon 
circumstances. A few suggestions are offered here, and 
from these the teacher may make a selection, or choose 
others better suited to her purpose. 

The story of Napoleon The story of Julius Caesar 

The story of William Tell The story of Peter 

The story of Confucius The story of Paul 

The story of Mohammed The story of Cleopatra 

The story of Wellington The story of Joan of Arc 

The story of Shakespeare The story of Nero 
The story of Herod the Great The story of Aesop 

Telegrams 

391 * Jan. 20, 1908 

John R. Davis 

504 Wilson St., Philadelphia, Pa. 
Come home at once, for your mother is veiy ill. Wire us when 
you expect to start. 

G. H. Hart 



THE SEVENTH GRADE 245 

Here is a telegram of seventeen words, some of them being 
unnecessary. Reconstruct it so that it shall contain no more than 
ten words, since ten is the largest number that can be sent for 
the minimum charge. 

Notice that the heading of a telegram is somewhat different 
from that of a letter. The date is all that appears in the 
upper right-hand corner, the address of the sender, if given, 
appearing in one line after his signature. 

The address in the upper left-hand corner consists of but two 
lines. 

Write a telegram to a bicycle firm, cancelling your order for 
a ''Paragon" and substituting one for a ''Peerless." 

Advertisements 

392. The owner of an apartment house needs a janitor; 
write an advertisement for him. 

You have a room to let; write a descriptive advertisement, 
using about fifteen words. 

Uriah Semmelrock has a horse and buggy for sale ; write what 
you would consider the proper form in which to advertise that 
fact. 

Your mother has lost her purse containing some money; help 
her write the advertisement. 

A piano teacher desires pupils; how should she advertise her 
desire ? 

Ethics of School Life 

"Life is not so short but there is always 
time enough for courtesy." 

393. There is no disputing the fact that training in 
morals and courtesy must take place in some shape in our 
public schools, or else public school education will prove 
incomplete. The curriculum of the future is certain to 
provide for it definitely, and there is no reason why the 
teacher of today shall not take time, as she finds the oppor- 
tunity, to emphasize moral and ethical principles as well as 
to illustrate how various words and actions go to mark 



246 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

the lady and the gentleman in their intercourse with their 
fellow creatures. Above all, she should not forget that 
her pupils are natural imitators, and that she should, by 
irreproachable conduct in etiquette and morals, exemplify 
the precepts she is striving to impart. 

The following questions are suggested as aids to thor- 
ough discussions: 

What are appropriate forms of greetings to be used on the 
street or in public 1 ? 

In meeting persons, which side of the street or pavement 
should you take? What should be done in passing persons'? 

When should a man or boy lift his hat as a form of courtesy? 

What violations of good manners do you notice in school? 

How should a new pupil be treated? Have you seen that rule 
ignored in the school yard? 

What forms of greetings or partings should you use toward 
your teacher? By what name should you habitually address her? 

Under what circumstances do you say " Excuse me" or 
"Pardon me"? 

What preparations should you make before eating? 

Name some rules of etiquette that should be observed at the 
table. 

Subjects for Composition 

394. A Lady's Mistake A Check for Fifty Dollars 

Traveling in Mexico A Show Window 

A Spy for Washington What Makes the Sea Salt 

The Adventures of an Old How Mother Prevents Food 

Musket Waste 
Attack on Fort Moultrie Economy in the Use and Con- 
Traveling Through Brazil sumption of Meat 
Waiting for a Train History of Words: Such as 
A Fruit Stand I Have Seen Quiz, Tantalize, etc. 
How My Likeness Was Taken Outline for the Description of 
The Trials of a Maid a Person You Know 
A Farmyard During a Storm A Piece of Wood That Became 
Report of a Committee a Cane 



395. 



CHAPTER VIII 

THE EIGHTH GRADE 

Outline of Work 



1. 

2. 


Review of foregoing work 
Punctuation 


3. 
4. 
5. 
6. 

7. 


Variety of expression 
Distinguishing words 
Errors to be avoided 
The telegram 
The advertisement 


8. 

9. 

10. 


Newspaper reporting 

Paraphrasing 

Criticism 


11. 


Letter writing, including special forms of 
letters 


12. 
13. 
14. 


The diary (see Sections 115, 204, 218, and 348) 

Imaginative composition 

High school entrance examinations 



396. In spite of the training and the reviews of former 
years, we find that the teacher of the highest grade in the 
common school course meets with much the same disap- 
pointments as her coworkers farther down the line have 
done. It may be well to pause at this, the last lap, as it 
were, and consider what has been accomplished, or, rather, 
what has been aimed at, and to ascertain how well the 
247 



248 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

members of the class are grounded in the work of former 
years. They should have had practice in the following : 

1. Irregular verbs, especially the "n" class. The most 
common are: am, see, give, do, take, shake, draw, lie, steal, 
break, fly, know, throw, fall, go, freeze, forget, ride, rise, speak. 
To these may be added: sit, lay, weep, sleep, creep, think, teach, 
feed, hear, drink, sing, ring, come, get, swim, shine. During the 
year they will become acquainted with other irregular verbs that 
are used less frequently. 

2. Punctuation. Thorough drill has been given in 

a. Address. 
6. Series. 

c. Declarative, imperative, interrogative, and exclamatory 
sentences. 

d. The separation, by commas, of such expressions as too, 
also, in fact, therefore, nevertheless, from the rest of the 
sentence. 

e. Abbreviations. 

f. Quotations. 

g. The parts of the letter. 

3. The use of the apostrophe to denote omission and 



4. The recognition and the formation of the various classes 
of sentences. 

5. The pronoun, considered with reference to proper forms. 

6. The study of synonyms. 

7. The study of homonyms. 

8. Orderly preparation for composition work. 

9. Variety of expression. 

10. Continuity of thought in composition. 

11. Letter writing. 

12. Distinguishing words. One of the most difficult tasks 
for the young writer is to avoid the confusing of words similar 
in meaning or sound. A partial list of these trouble-makers 
follows : 



THE EIGHTH GRADE 



249 



between, among 

awful, mighty, very 

predicate, predict 

affect, effect 

ingenious, ingenuous 

rise, raise 

guess, think 

fix, arrange, repair 

to, at 

may, can, might, could 

hung, hanged 

like, love 

relative, relation 

lot, many, number 

invent, discover 

lazy, idle 

pride, vanity 

mad, angry 

center, middle 

lie, lay 

have, got 

sit, set 

fewer, less 

flee, fly 



wait for, wait on 

respectfully, respectively 

plenty, plentiful 

incredulous, incredible 

convict, convince 

vocation, avocation 

aggravate, irritate 

custom, habit 

sex, sects 

site, situation, location 

healthy, healthful 

proud, vain 

shall, will 

complement, compliment 

in, into 

accept, except 

let, leave 

party, person 

stop, stay 

carry, bring, fetch 

funny, strange, odd 

each other, one another 

some, somewhat 

lend, loan 



Variety of Expression 

397. Some educators maintain that the pupil should be 
allowed a wide range of freedom in composition work, and 
believe that any definite step which will interfere with his 
so-called "naturalness of expression" will do him harm. 
In other words, he must be permitted, with little or no 
restriction, to choose the forms in which his thoughts are 
to be clothed. This is a mistaken idea, for proper train- 
ing, under such conditions, is practically impossible. No 
matter in what departments of life work we may make 
investigation, we shall find that "natural" ways of doing 
things are by no means the most effective. The pianist, 



250 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

the singer, the typist, must be taught the most thorough 
and expeditious methods requisite for efficiency in their 
respective vocations ; left to themselves, they become miser- 
able failures. The young writer should receive his train- 
ing in much the same manner. He should learn some of 
the most important qualities of good composition, among 
them variety of expression. Not only should he be brought 
to realize what constitutes variety, but he should also be 
made to practice it. Of course, variety is not all, nor a 
tithe of all, but it is emphasized here for the simple reason 
that few books and few teachers give it due attention. 

Prepositions 

398. Pupils should be well versed in the knowledge 
of what prepositions to use after certain parts of speech, 
such as verbs and adjectives. Here are some examples : 

Correspond with a person; to something in the way of fitness. 

Agree upon terms; to a proposition. 

Wait on, in the sense of service; for, at a certain place. 

Deliver from an enemy or anything unpleasant; to or for a 
person ; at a place ; in time or condition ; with care. 

Die of a disease; by violence; with calmness; in agony. 

Differ from, in quality ; with, in the sense of argument ; in 
certain particulars. 

Insist on or upon. 

Confide in. 

Depend on or upon. 

Live at home ; in a house ; on a street. 

Errors to Be Avoided 

399. 1. The coupling of dissimilar terms 

To do without luxuries or even necessities is better than 
going into debt in order to possess them. 

I always have and always will think him the wisest of 
men, 



THE EIGHTH GRADE 251 

2. Wrong forms of pronouns 

' John hurt hisself very badly when he fell off the wheel. 
They always traveled by theirselves. 
Them boys must keep out of our lot. 
That spade is not our's, nor is it their 's. 

3. Adjectives for adverbs, and adverbs for adjectives 

The flowers smell so sweetly. 
He was shaken up considerable. 

The little boy acted so bad that his mother put him 
into the closet. 

You did that good, but you can write plainer yet. 
My father is only tolerable well. 

4. Improper use of a conjunction or other connective 

Try to do like I do. 

I don't know as I like that. 

I shall not go to town except you go with me. 

Willie says he will not go to bed without Sam goes, too. 

5. Failure to distinguish between 

A half-dollar, and half a dollar. 

My mother's picture, and a picture of my mother. 

The stationer and bookseller, and the stationer and the 
bookseller. 

I found the way easy, and I found the way easily. 

Few know of his whereabouts, and a few know of his 
whereabouts. 

A black and a white cat. A black and white cat. 

6. Misplacing conjunctions, adverbs, phrases, and clauses 

He both knows how to sing and how to teach singing. 

He neither talked to the one nor the other. 

Are you only going to take one suit ? 

Everybody thought he would be a famous man twenty 
years ago. 

Any one could see that he bad been badly punished with 
half an eye. 

He is likely to lose his money who is careless with it. 



252 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

7. Omission of possessives with participles 

There is no likelihood of him becoming a teacher. 
He being a laborer prevented him entering upon a 
political life. 

Did you ever know of him telling what was not true? 

8. Misuse of words 

That is the most incredulous tale I ever heard. 

Yours respectively, Joseph Kearney. 

I never saw such a quantity of sheep in one herd before. 

You want to be careful in your writing. 

Three alternatives were offered him: to be whipped, 
to be placed in a dark closet, or to go a whole day 
without food. 

Be so kind as to make me out a list of fictitious writers. 

9. Ambiguity 

I came very near being bitten several times. 

He ate a little cake before he went to bed. 

He said he didn 't want that pair of trousers any longer. 

I can 't see one of my hats. 

Have you heard how old Mr. Williams is? 

He has more friends than you. 

Recasting Sentences 

400. Have the pupils change the form of each of the 
following sentences without altering the meaning: 

The conductor was rewarded for doing his duty. 

Sauntering along the path, they finally reached the river. 

In attempting to keep his hat on his head, he fell from the car. 

The policeman took the prisoner to the station-house and locked 
him up. 

As the minister prayed, the audience stood with bowed heads. 

While we were resting in the shade of a tree, we heard the 
sound of entrancing music. 

I struck a match and lighted my cigar. 

My visitor came to the office, and afterward took a walk about 
the city. 



THE EIGHTH GRADE 253 

Composition 

401. The attention of the eighth grade pupil should be 
directed toward composition of a more dignified style than 
that to which he has been accustomed. Practice in mere 
description is not sufficient to afford him the training neces- 
sary for bringing out those qualities which will enable him 
to enter upon the higher field. Subjects must be chosen 
that will call forth emotions hitherto comparatively dor- 
mant, at least so far as verbal expression is concerned. In 
describing a storm, he must feel the awe inspired by such 
a scene, he must hear the thunder, see the lightning, wit-' 
ness the havoc that is being wrought. Unless he be excep- 
tional in the exercise of his imagination, he must be led by 
his teacher; and, unless she can experience these feelings, 
she will have trouble in becoming a successful leader. 

Again, the delineation of a sylvan scene may be chosen. 
Is it sufficient to have the pupils casually mention having 
seen a few birds, a stream of running water, trees clothed 
with verdure, and a dozen other examples of rural beauty ? 
There must be feeling, life ; the pupil must be present in 
spirit, and his spirit must breathe in all this beauty, or else 
his work will be only perfunctory. 

The careful and enthusiastic teacher will make good use 
of the opportunity to instill life and feeling into the pro- 
ductions of her pupils. If they should show a tendency 
to become too florid, let them alone ; or rather, encourage 
the tendency. Redundancy should, of course, be avoided, 
but fullness of description is ever to be urged in this style 
of composition. The pupil has been taught to be concise 
in certain forms, such as the telegram, the advertisement, 
the business letter ; and he should be trained with the same 
diligence to give his imaginative powers free rein when he 
is to engage in certain forms of description. 



254 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

The study of a picture, in which the feelings, hopes, and ambi- 
tions of the characters are imagined ; or, of the emotions aroused 
by the contemplation of a picture. 

A call at a house of want. Not only the misery of the inmates, 
but also the pity excited by beholding such a spectacle, will afford 
ample material upon which to work. 

A sunset scene. The glory of the coloring and the effect upon 
animated creation should inspire feelings of varied character. 

The lone watcher by a noisy brook, and what he saw. 

The approach of a storm. 

Why we should love our national emblem. 

Why we should prize our schools and the education they afford. 

A minister's sermon. The emotions stirred at different stages 
of the discourse. 

A description of the life of a good man or woman. 

A theatrical play of the tragical kind. 

A drunkard; the annoyance and misery he causes. 

A ghost story. 

The Advertisement 

402. Advertisements should be to the point; news- 
papers like to have them so, and clerks often assist the 
advertiser in cutting out superfluous verbiage, for the rea- 
son that unbusinesslike forms are more harmful than 
advantageous to the newspaper that admits them to its 
columns. Following are specimens taken from the daily 
papers : 

MONEY— In any sum from $50 to $1000 on vacant 
property, second mortgage; security of any kind. P. O. 
Box 846, Philadelphia". 

TO LET— Atwood St., No. 337. Neatly furnished 
rooms for gentlemen, with all modern conveniences. 

STENOGRAPHER — Reference from college; good 
work; beginner. Address 3056 Help Department, Daily 
Sun. 



THE EIGHTH GRADE 255 

HOUSEKEEPER— By woman, with excellent refer- 
ences. L 65, Press Office. 

WANTED — Bicycle — secondhand; coaster brake; state 
condition and lowest cash price. M 54, Dispatch Office. 

FOR SALE— Automobile— Cadillac, late 1914 model 
touring car, top, wind shield, speedometer, clock, five 
lamps and generator, chains, all tools; used only one 
season; in perfect running order; $550.00. 

Consumers' Auto Supply Co., Detroit, Mich. 

403. Write advertisements for the following: 

For sale, a horse. Describe. 

For sale, a buggy or a carriage. 

Wanted, boarders in a country place. 

Wanted, to borrow money. 

For hire, automobiles. 

Wanted, a maid for general housework. 

Wanted, a seamstress. 

Wanted, a pup of a specified breed. 

For rent, apartments. 

The Telegram 

404. Instruction has already been given on this sub- 
ject, and but little further need be said. The pupil should 
be led to consider the value of condensation combined with 
the telling of essentials. Practice may take the form of 
orders for goods, the conveying of important news, changes 
of plans, and the like. The fundamental ideas in the mat- 
ter of telegrams are the pride of being businesslike and the 
economy arising from condensation — one is almost as 
great an incentive as the other. It is to be remembered 
that charges are made according to the number of words 
in the message, the address and the signature not being 
counted. 



256 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Newspaper Reporting 

405. It is quite generally claimed by newspaper men 
that graduates of schools and colleges are seldom well 
enough acquainted with the principles of composition to 
write an account of an event suitable for publication as a 
piece of news. What, then, can be expected of the eighth 
grade pupil? The report of an accident, a banquet, a 
reception, a deliberative assembly, or a burglary requires 
the exercise of more mature mental faculties than those 
possessed by the boy or the girl of fourteen ; nevertheless, 
the teacher will find it possible to give some attention to 
this form of composition work, and will doubtless be able 
to use the daily papers as object lessons in what is to be 
avoided as well as in what is to be copied. The ordinary 
reporter is not always an educated person, and the haste in 
which he usually writes makes matters worse for him. 
Consequently, scarcely an article in the current newspaper 
is free from errors of various kinds. Pupils should be 
asked to note mistakes in the papers they are in the habit 
of reading, and some of these may be placed on the board 
for discussion and correction. A few topics are suggested 
below : 

Write a newspaper account of a school entertainment 
Write an account of an accident, preferably one that you 

have witnessed, if you think it sufficiently interesting to the 

public to be printed in a paper 

Write an account of a school commencement 

The visit of a reporter to an exposition or to a county fair 

Write an account of a sermon you have heard lately, being 

particular to state the main "heads" of the discourse and to 

quote some of the most pointed sentences 
A reporter visits the principal of a school 
Some items of interest regarding your school 
A reporter's visit to a flooded district in the city 



THE EIGHTH GRADE 257 

A reporter calls upon the officials of a charity organization 
in order to ascertain what work they have in contemplation 
What a reporter found by visiting a family in destitution 
The damage done by a heavy fall of rain 
An obituary notice 
An account of a baseball game 
An account of a party which you greatly enjoyed 

Punctuation 

406. Jephtha judge of Israel what a treasure hadst thou 
The play I remember pleased not the million 

Come my coach good-night sweet ladies good-night 

Strychnine which is a deadly poison is used in medical prepa- 
rations 

Alas poor Yorick I knew him well Horatio 

Apples peaches plums cherries etc constitute the fruits of that 
state 

The young mans answer was as follows I knew him too and 
I knew him too well 

Be good sweet maid and let who will be clever 
Do noble things not dream them all day long 

And so make life death and that vast forever 
One grand sweet song 

Distinguishing Words 
statue statute stature 

407. Fill blanks : 

The of Liberty stands in New York harbor. 

President Lincoln was a man of great . 

The sculptor constructed a of John Brown for the 

public square. 

A relating to public utilities was introduced in the 

legislature. 

complement compliment 

When you make oral use of complement, sound the e distinctly, 
so that there shall be no doubt in the mind of your hearer that 
you have a full understanding of the application of the word. 



258 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Pupils of the eighth grade should experience no difficulty in 
making the proper selection. 

Elsie's singing elicited many from her friends. 

Write a sentence containing two object . 

Mercy and justice are one of the other. 

That is a well deserved . 

center middle 

While these words are occasionally used one for the other, 
even among good writers, there is a difference that should 
be noted. Center refers to a point about which there is 
space or volume. Its most common application is to the 
circle. Middle has reference more accurately to a line or 
to a surface that has greater length than width. 

Shall we say the middle or the center of the road? 

Shall we say the middle or the center of attraction 1 ? 

Shall we say the middle or the center of a line ? 

Shall we say the middle or the center of the earth ? 

Shall we say the middle or the center of a group of persons'? 

Draw a line through the of your paper. 

The of population of the United States is continually 

moving westward. 

Study of "King Lear" 

408. To Lamb's "Tales from Shakespeare" we are 
indebted for an excellent synopsis of this, one of Shake- 
speare's most powerful dramas. After the usual discus- 
sion have it outlined, so that the pupils may intelligently 
reproduce the story. If there be time, various features 
of the play, such as a word picture of the court of King 
Lear, a character sketch of Cordelia, or a description of 
the scene in which the king tests the love of his daughters, 
may be taken up separately. Other plays by this author 
can be studied through the medium of the synopses pre- 



THE EIGHTH GRADE 259 

sented in the above-mentioned book, and, if possible, at 
least one of them should be witnessed by every eighth 
grade pupil. 

Combinations 

409. The same story may be told in many ways. When 
we are young we use short sentences because our thoughts 
are of the simplest character; but as we grow older our 
thinking becomes more comprehensive, and its expression 
takes place in a more or less complex manner. This is 
brought about by the use of fewer sentences in descrip- 
tions of a given scope and by introducing modifiers that in 
our earlier efforts took the form of simple sentences. 

The following story is written in the most elementary 
style. You are required to recast it in the language of an 
eighth grade pupil. In doing this, remember that two or 
more sentences may be combined to make compound or 
complex sentences, the latter of which may be expressed 
in so many different ways that you will have numerous 
opportunities for variety. 

The Farmer and His Sons 

A farmer had seven sons. They could never agree among 
themselves. He often talked to them. He told them how 
foolish they were to be quarreling so much. They kept on 
quarreling. They paid no heed to his Avords. 

One day he called them to his side. He showed them a 
bundle of sticks tied tightly together. 

"See which one of you can break this bundle," he said. 

Each in his turn took the bundle in his hands. He tried 
his best to break it. It was so strong that not one of them 
could even bend it. 

At last they gave it back to their father, and said: 

"We cannot break it." 

He untied the bundle. He gave a single stick to each of 
his sons. 



260 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

"Now see what you can do," he said. 

Each one broke his stick with the greatest of ease. 

"My sons," said the farmer, "you are like these sticks. You 
will be strong while you stick together. You will be weak if 
each one is for himself." 

When you have made the combinations you think proper, 
answer the following questions: 

How many participial phrases did you use? 

How many absolute phrases did you have? 

Did you introduce a clause with when — with as? — with be- 
cause? — with who or that? 

Did you change a direct to an indirect quotation ? — an indirect 
to a direct quotation? 

Did you combine two simple sentences into a compound sen- 
tence? 

What moral can you add to this story, similar in meaning 
to the lesson taught by the father? 

What famous maxims or mottoes does this story recall? ("In 
union there is strength"; "United we stand; divided we fall.") 

Fido's Soliloquy 

410. I am thirsty. It is a hot day. I have followed my 
master. We have come many miles from home. He has not 
found any game. He does not seem to be in a pleasant humor. 

I should like to lie down here. The trees are so shady. The 
grass is so green. But we must move on. My master is impa- 
tient. He is anxious to fill his game bag. 

Oh, here is a stream! How cool and clear it is ! I have 
had a good drink. I feel better. 

I see something moving in the grass. I must tell my master. 
He sees it, too. He begins to look pleasant again. I am sure 
the game bag will be filled very soon. 

Imagine that you wrote this composition when you 
were in the third grade, and that you are now required 
to treat the subject as an eighth grade pupil should. You 
are to use the same wording except where that would inter- 
fere with expansion, and you are at liberty to make com- 



THE EIGHTH GRADE 261 

binations similar to those you made in the story of "The 
Farmer and His Sons ' ' ; but in order to indicate how 
much you have advanced since you left the third grade, 
you are to insert phrase and clause modifiers representing 
ideas which are not to be found in the original story, but 
which can be introduced to make the whole complete and 
harmonious. You may also add entirely new sentences 
where you think they will round out the account. This 
kind of work is sometimes more difficult than that required 
in compositions not limited by such conditions. 

Interpretation of Literature 

411. This is an important phase of eighth grade work; 
whether it be included under the head of reading or of 
composition. In either case, it will be largely oral except 
when it is desired to keep a record of the pupils' opinions. 
The manner of treatment will depend very much on the 
nature and the length of the selection presented for this 
purpose. Short passages, such as poems, will be examined 
closely for the study of particular words, phrases, clauses, 
and sentences, while those of greater length will undergo 
more general inspection. Stories or plays are best dis- 
cussed through the medium of properly prepared synopses 
or outlines. 

The following are suggested as coming within the limit 
of intelligent interpretation by eighth grade pupils : 

The Builders. Longfellow The Vision of Sir Launfal. 

The Huskers. Whittier Lowell 

The Building of the Ship. The Lady of Shalott. Tennyson 

Longfellow Gettysburg Address. Lincoln 

The American Flag. Drake The Great Stone Face. Haw- 
Longing. Lowell thome 

The Sudden Shower. Riley The Man "Without a Country. 
A Christmas Carol. Dickens Hale 



262 



LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 



The Cricket on the Hearth. The Deserted Village. Gold- 



Dickens 
Rip Van Winkle. Irving 
A Forest Hymn. Bryant 
Snow-Bound. Whittier 
Julius Caesar. Shakespeare 



smith 
Macbeth. Lamb : ' ' Tales from 

Shakespeare" 
Romeo and Juliet. Lamb: 

11 Tales from Shakespeare" 



Letter Writing 
412. 1. Salutations for relatives and friends: 
Dear Mother My dear Father My dear Sister 

Dear William Dear Aunt Nora My dear Cousin 

Dear Cousin Sue Dear Mr. Jones My dear Mr. Jones 

Each of these should be followed by a colon and a dash if the 
body of the letter begins on the same line ; otherwise, by the colon 
alone. 

2. Salutations for strangers and business men : 
Sir Dear Sir Madam 

Sirs Dear Sirs Gentlemen 



3. Complimentary close : 

Your affectionate son 

Yours lovingly 

Truly yours 

Yours very sincerely 

With best wishes, I remain 

Sincerely yours, 
James Thompson. 
Believe me, my dear sir, 

Yours most respectfully, 
Wilson M. Dver. 



Your loving daughter 
Yours sincerely 
Very truly yours 
Respectfully yours 
With kindest regards, I am 

Most sincerely yours, 

Joseph Hague. 
With great regret, I am 

Respectfully yours, 

Emma J. Stephens. 



Invitation 

413. Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Davis request the pleasure, of Miss 
Minnie E. Westwood 's company at dinner on Wednesday evening, 
June twentieth, at six o'clock. 

437 Fifth Avenue, Millvale 

Thursday, June Fourteenth 



THE EIGHTH GRADE 263 

Acceptance 

414. Miss Minnie E. Westwood accepts with pleasure Mr. and 
Mrs. Leslie Davis's kind invitation for Wednesday evening, June 
twentieth. 

1916 Reserve Street 
Saturday, June sixteenth 

Regrets 

415. Miss Minnie E. Westwood regrets that a previous en- 
gagement prevents her acceptance of Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Davis's 
kind invitation for Wednesday evening, June twentieth. 

1916 Reserve Street 
Saturday, June sixteenth 

Informal Note 

416. Wheeling, W. Va. 

Sept. 14, 1911 

My dear Mr. Cooper : 

Ihave just received the latest number of the Scientific Ameri- 
can, and, as it contains an article that will especially interest 
you, I shall take pleasure in calling at your home tomorrow 
evening with the paper mentioned. 

Faithfully yours 

August Williams 

Receipts 

417. Midway, 111., Aug. 13, 1905 
Received of Joseph McDougall, Ten Dollars, in payment of 

rent for the month of July, 1905. 

$10.00 Norris Turner 

Steubenville, O., Feb. 11, 1906 
Received of Mrs. Sarah Wilhelm, Forty Dollars, on account, 
for professional services. 
$40.00 Charles N. Semple, M. D. 



264 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Monessen, Pa., April 8, 1903 

Received of Harris Walters, Fifteen and 75/100 Dollars, in 
full, for board to March 31, 1903. 
$15.75 Mrs. S. H. Chapman 

The Signature 

418. Strangers are often left in doubt as to the proper 
way in which to address a female writer, owing to negli- 
gence on her part. The uncertainty may be overcome thus : 

Yours very truly 

(Miss) Jennie Gardner 

Truly yours 

Mrs. Stella Snodgrass (if a widow) 

Yours truly 

Stella Snodgrass 
(Mrs. Samuel J. Snodgrass) 

Official Addresses 

419. The question as to the proper form in which to 
address a letter to the President of the United States often 
arises in the public schools. The following will give the 
necessary information : 

To His Excellency, Woodrow Wilson 
The White House 

Washington, D. C. 
or, 

To the President 
The White House 
Washington, D. C. 

Similar forms should be used in addressing the governor 
of a state. 



THE EIGHTH GRADE 265 

Style 

420. This term in composition refers to the mode of 
expressing thought. There are several varieties of style 
that are almost equally pleasing to the reader because they 
have certain qualities in common that make them so. 
Among these may be mentioned clearness, forcibleness, and 
smoothness. 

1. Clearness implies a choice and an arrangement of 
words which render more than one interpretation impos- 
sible. No other attribute of an attractive style is more 
important than this, for without it the reader may be in 
constant doubt as to the meaning of the author. Its oppo- 
site is ambiguity , a fault which is discussed elsewhere in 
this volume. 

2. Forcibleness is that property of style which produces 
a deep impression. It depends in part upon the selection 
of words that possess inherent strength to a marked degree, 
although it is sometimes the result of a striking arrange- 
ment of words of merely ordinary power. Short sentences, 
as a rule, are stronger than long ones because they con- 
centrate attention upon but one thought at a time. Avoid- 
ance of unnecessary words, phrases, and clauses and the 
use of proper connectives also add to the strength of 
sentences. 

3. Smoothness results from employing words and ex- 
pressions that are harmonious in sound and that are, to 
a certain extent, pleasing even in silent reading. Sen- 
tences of moderate length are likely to give the impres- 
sion of smoothness, but variety in this respect is always 
desirable. 

Not only must the young writer constantly aim at clear- 
ness, forcibleness, and smoothness, but he should also fol- 



266 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

low the guidance of certain rules that have much to do 
with the acquirement of an attractive style. These may- 
be formulated thus: 

a. Avoid sameness 

b. Seek variety of arrangement 

c. Express your thoughts in an original or striking manner 

a. Avoid sameness 

No writer who casts his sentences in the same mold need 
expect to please, and if he fail to please, it were perhaps 
better for him to write nothing for either eye or ear. 
Monotony is destructive of pleasure in any sphere of life, 
and this is equally true in the domain of literature. Several 
factors contribute to this undesirable quality, some of 
which are enumerated below: 

1. A succession of sentences of the same length 

2. A stereotyped way of beginning or ending sentences 

3. Ignorance of synonymous words and expressions 

4. The unnecessary repetition of such particles as however, 
and, also, therefore, next, then, why 

5. The use of mannerisms that almost invariably reveal the 
identity of the author 

Following is an example of sameness carried to the extreme. 
In what respects does it violate the rule? How do you get 
rid of sameness caused by a succession of short sentences? 
What other faults do you observe? Reconstruct the story so 
that these errors shall be eliminated. 

A Fire 

One evening I heard the alarm of fire. It was also a cold 
evening. I did not wish to catch a cold. I wished to see the 
fire. I seized my cap. I seized my coat. I rushed outside. I 
saw a bright light in the distance. Many people were rush- 
ing in that direction. Others paid no attention to it. They said 
that it did not amount to anything, but I went on, however. I 
thought, ' ' Surely it must be a big fire. ' ' There was great excite- 
ment, and the crowd kept getting bigger at the same time also. 



THE EIGHTH GRADE 267 

I ran along with everybody else. I said, "Surely everybody 
would not be running if there wasn 't a big fire. " As I ran along 
I saw a dead horse passing an alley. It was one of the fire 
department horses, I think. But what do you think? When 
everybody got there, it turned out to be a bonfire made of boxes. 
They had been fired by a lot of mischievous boys. 

The following paragraph is a simplified rendering of 
one to be found in "The Pickwick Papers," by Charles 
Dickens. The pupils are required to restore it by proper 
combinations to what they think may be its original form. 

A Race 

The interest was intense. Fields, trees, and hedges rushed 
past them. They seemed to be rushing with the velocity of a 
whirlwind. The pace was so rapid at which they tore along. 
They were close by the side of the first chaise. Jingle's voice 
could be plainly heard urging on the boys. It could be heard 
even above the din of the wheels. Old Wardle foamed with rage 
and excitement. He roared out scoundrels and villains by the 
dozen. He clenched his fist and shook it expressively at the 
object of his indignation. Mr. Jingle only answered with a con- 
temptuous smile. Then he replied to his menaces by a shout of 
triumph. This was because his horses had answered the in- 
creased application of whip and spur. They broke into a faster 
gallop. They left the pursuers far behind. 

b. Seek variety of arrangement 

The parts of a sentence may be placed in either natural 
or inverted order, the former referring to their usual posi- 
tion, the latter to any departure therefrom. Thus : 

Natural Order Inverted Order 

I will seek Thee, Lord. Thee, Lord, will I seek. 

I am slow of speech. Slow am I of speech. 

We learn to walk by taking By taking steps we learn to 

steps. walk. 

I have no silver and gold, but Silver and gold have I none, but 

I give thee such as I have. such as I have, give I thee. 



268 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

The aim in the use of inverted order is twofold: it 
affords a pleasing change from the usual way of stating 
thoughts, and it adds strength to the sentence by emphasiz- 
ing that part which is not in its natural position. 

The following are to be studied with these queries in 
mind: 

1. To what is the inverted order due in the several sentences? 

2. How should each be written to restore it to its natural 
order. 

3. In your opinion, which is the better arrangement? Why 
do you think so? 

Exercises 

On yonder mighty rock the Indian stood with drawn bow. 
But here occurred another delay. 

In this opinion, also, both Mr. Winkle and Mr. Snodgrass 
expressed their concurrence. 

Slowly and solemnly the mourners passed down the aisle. 
Heaven is for thee too high to know what passes there. 
But this I urge: do not be rash. 
Him serve and fear as thou shouldst. 
To receive their names from thee I bring them. 
So they among themselves in pleasant vein stood scoffing. 
Sore hath been their fight, as likeliest was, when two such 
foes met armed. 

Like a man to double business bound, 
I stand in pause where I shall first begin, 
And both neglect. 
Careless their merits or their faults to scan, 
His pity gave ere charity began. 

A foot more light, a step more true, 

Ne 'er from the heath-flower dash 'd the dew. 

c. Express your thoughts in an original or striking 
manner 

An original writer is not necessarily one who gives 
expression to new ideas; fortunate, indeed, is the person 
who can do that. Rather, it is he who has the ability to 



THE EIGHTH GRADE 269 

write in a style which creates the impression of newness, 
and which, to most readers, serves as a very satisfactory 
equivalent. Unlike the speaker or the conversationalist, 
the author is denied assistance of countenance and gesture ; 
he is therefore compelled to have recourse to certain other 
aids or devices that will compensate him for this disad- 
vantage. Among these are the choice of words that express 
his meaning to a nicety ; the placing of his words or groups 
of words just where they will produce the strongest effect ; 
the suiting of his writing mood to the requirements of the 
subject; and, most important of all, the enviable faculty 
of creating forms of language that have not entered the 
mind of any other author. Striking and unexpected modes 
of description contribute perhaps more to the enjoyment 
of the average reader than does any other single quality, 
and they often atone for many shortcomings. 

Few students, unless they are exceptionally gifted, are 
able to avoid ordinary modes of expression without enter- 
ing upon a critical study of the best authors. This should 
teach them much that will be useful to them in their 
efforts, not only to write according to correct and well 
established rules of procedure, but also to impart to their 
writing a style that will not fail to attract. 

Pupils should be required to select from each of the 
following sentences a thought or an idea that is clothed 
in unusual language, and to state the basis of their con- 
clusion : 

I could paint the blacksmith's dingy shop, 
Its sign, a pillar of smoke. 
And the thriftless farmer that used to stand 
And curry her ribs with a kindly hand. 
We sat and talked until the night. 
Descending, filled the room. 



270 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Time and tide "wait for no man. 

Oh, ye who daily cross the sill, 

Step lightly, for I love it still. 

If I cannot carry forests on my back, 

Neither can you crack a nut. 

If I lose mine honor, I lose myself. 

Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it, 
casts the shadow of our burden behind us. 

Habit is a cable; we weave a thread of it each day, and 
at last we cannot break it. 

Language is the art of concealing thought. 

When you have nothing to say, say it. 

The troubles of a child are like an April shower. 

Sin has many tools, but a lie is a handle that fits them all. 

She is fat, fair and forty. 

He wears the rose of youth upon him. 

Fishes live in the sea as men do on land : the great ones 
eat up the little ones. 

Turn over a new leaf. 

Many things happen between the cup and the lip. 

Old friends are best. King James used to call for his 
old shoes; they were easiest for his feet. 

Thou wilt scarce be a man before thy mother. 

He knows little who will tell his wife all he knows. 

The Pyramids themselves, doting with age, have for- 
gotten the names of their founders. 

Your hearts are mighty, your skins are whole. 

Fashion wears out more apparel than man. 



Distinguishing Words 

421. Discuss the shades of meaning involved in the use of 
these words; then fill the blanks in the following sentences: 

contemptible intelligent audience 

contemptuous intelligible spectators 

emigrants convince vocation 

immigrants convict avocation 



THE EIGHTH GRADE 271 

He seemed to be a very young man, but he spoke in so 

indistinct a tone that his statements were scarcely audible to 
his hearers. 

Robert's answers are not , because he chooses words 

that do not clearly express his meaning. 

The people who are called on leaving Europe become 

when they reach America. 

The prisoner was of murder in the first degree. 

One would scarcely expect the at one of Shakespeare's 

tragedies to be of the same character as the at a ball 

game, yet we frequently notice the same persons attending both. 

With a smile, the young man replied, "You do not 

think very highly of me, or you would not believe me to be 
guilty of so an act." 

I am a lawyer, but I occasionally find time to engage in 

amateur photography. In other words, the is my ; 

is my . 

Letter of Introduction 
422. 



ME. C. H. JOHNSON 



Introducing Mr. G. O. Harden 



Xenia, Ohio 
Mr. C. H. Johnson Sept. 4, 1906 

Columbus, Ohio 
My dear Mr. Johnson : 

The bearer, Mr. G. 0. Harden, is desirous of obtaining a posi- 
tion in your jewelry establishment and, as he is a young man 
whose reputation is of the very best, I feel no hesitancy in heartily 
recommending him to your consideration. I hope that he may be 
given an opportunity to show his fitness for the place he seeks. 
Sincerely yours 

R. D. Tavlor 



272 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

423. You have a friend, John Tarbell, who lives at 359 
Huron Street and is the possessor of a fine painting. You are 
anxious that your neighbor, Asa Gibney, shall have the privilege 
of examining this painting; and, with that end in view, you 
write him a letter of introduction to Mr. Tarbell. If you 
think it necessary, you may state why you wish him to see it. 
While of course you should aim to be courteous in your request, 
you should remember that courtesy does not consist in a multi- 
plicity of words. Avoid abruptness on the one hand and useless 
repetition on the other. 

Distinguishing 1 Words 

424. Study the following pairs of words with reference to 
their differences in meaning and use; then illustrate those dif- 
ferences by means of written sentences. 

receipt character home 

recipe reputation house 

honesty couple beside 

honor pair besides 

Fill the blanks in the subjoined sentences from the words 
in the above list: 

Mrs. Harrison, will you allow mother to have your 

for making lemon ice? 

The grocer gave his customer a in full for purchases to 

date. 

Mr. A's is above reproach; but what his real is, 

I am unable to state. 

A man's is what he appears to be; his — i — is what he 

actually is. 

Nellie remained at today; she was confined to the 

by illness. 

The next I build will be a real , because it will 

contain every comfort and convenience. 

Our neighbor is a man of , because he would not stoop 

to steal; he is likewise a man of , because he would not 

stoop to any mean act. 

Mary will buy a of gloves today and a of lace 

curtains tomorrow. 



THE EIGHTH GRADE 273 

I saw a newly married on their honeymoon. 

your cheer, you shall have sport. 

him hung his bow. 

Imaginative Composition 

425. That species of writing in which the author repre- 
sents himself as an object or another being is a most attrac- 
tive one to the young pupil. The same influence that leads 
him to enjoy the reading of a fairy tale makes it easy to 
compose stories belonging to the realm of the imaginary. 
Scenes, situations, adventures, present themselves almost 
spontaneously, and the fingers, busy though they be, can- 
not keep pace with the product of this active faculty of the 
mind. It is therefore advisable to provide opportunity 
for exercises of this kind, and pupils should be encouraged 
to allow their fancies almost perfect freedom, not only 
in the matter of mere routine in the telling of the story 
itself, but also in the choice of ideas and expressions that 
add sparkle and brightness to the composition as a whole. 

The following brief extracts will show how a class en- 
tered into the spirit of ' ' Jack Frost ' ' : 

"One evening I stepped into an old lady's garden and killed 
all her flowers. The next morning she was very sad: so, in 
return for my rudeness, I painted beautiful landscapes and trees 
on her windows." 

"I could not get into the room, because a large fire was 
burning in the grate, and I became so very angry that I froze 
the water in Mrs. Jones's yard." 

"I, Jack Frost, am a reckless man. I care not for the sun, 
for he goes when I come. I love to roam over the vast stretch 
at jumps and nip the farmers' plants with my icy teeth." 

" While standing there, wondering where 1 will go next. I 
finally see an old hut with the door open, and run over, but 
to my sorrow and surprise the door is slammed in my face." 



274 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

"When the streets and the houses are dark, ah, then I have 
fair play. I squeeze through cracks and corners. Then I find 
plenty to eat, and get my fill of sweets and sours alike. When 
morning comes and those naughty people get up, I must return 
to the street till night comes again." 

Subjects for Imaginative Composition 

426. It must be evident to the thoughtful person that 
imaginative writing has been slighted throughout the pub- 
lic schools; pupils have constantly been brought into con- 
tact with hard, dry facts, while their imaginations have 
been allowed to lie dormant. Dislike of composition in 
general is thus begotten, and all but a few who have talent 
for writing on any ordinary topic must be driven to the 
task. Provide proper subject material to alternate with 
matter-of-fact work. Selections may be made from the fol- 
lowing list : 

What the Old Armchair Heard Dialogue Between the Hands 

The Football Story and the Face of a Clock 

A Trip by Santa Claus What the Man in the Moon 

What Grandfather's Clock Saw 

Said The Bench in the Park 

The Soldier's Musket The Mouse and the Piece of 

Fido's Complaint Cheese in the Trap 

Old Dobbin 's Soliloquy The Story of a Grain of Wheat 

Adventures of a Counterfeit The Story Told by the Pump 

Quarter The School Bell 

The Lump of Coal Talks to A Desk in School 

the Miner 

Expansion 

427. Supply a predicate verb for each of the nouns in the 
following list : 

Elizabeth picture monkeys 

icebergs tides clouds 

dew ships oceans 

sleet breakers teacher 



THE EIGHTH GRADE 275 

Rewrite, introducing one or more single adjectival and ad- 
verbial modifiers. 

Rewrite, introducing phrase or clause modifiers of both sub- 
ject and predicate. 

Paraphrasing 

428. Paraphrasing has a certain value in composition 
work, which consists largely in reproducing, in the guise 
of other language, the meaning of the original sentence 
or sentences. The following are to be rewritten in as many 
different forms as possible : 

Do not waste your money. 

This man is patriotic. 

The boyhood of Lincoln was spent in poverty. 

He was without many friends. 

This event will happen in the near future. 

England's navy is very powerful. 

Fear made the soldiers pale. 

Recast the following poetical extracts: 

A man he was to all the country dear, 
And passing rich with forty pounds a year. 

The smith, a mighty man is he, 
With large and sinewy hands. 

A traveler, by the faithful hound, 
Half-buried in the snow was found, 
Still grasping in his hand of ice 
That banner with the strange device, 
Excelsior ! 

From that chamber, clothed in white, 
The bride came forth on her wedding night; 
There, in that silent room below, 
The dead lay in his shroud of snow; 
And in the hush that followed the prayer, 
Was heard the old clock on the stair, — 
' ' Forever — never ! 
Never — forever ! ' ' 



276 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Bad English 

429. Have the pupils correct the errors in the follow- 
ing sentences and caution them to avoid like faults in 
their own compositions: 

I have been thinking of writing to you for a long time. 

I wanted to see him so much. 

I feel sure that the girls will return with a good account of 
their brother's conduct to their father. 

I came out of the oven, a beautiful loaf of bread, and was 
taken to a widow with six children for a Christmas present. 

He was in too big of a hurry to do his work well. 

Whenever school was dismissed this afternoon, I came home. 

I attended a swell party last night, and had an awfully good 
time. 

That was certainly some game. 

Do you trot with that bunch? 

I had a hunch that something was about to happen. 

I hadn't scarcely no time to prepare my night work. 

John said, "This will be easy for him and I." 

These are men whom, I am sure, will do their duty. 

There is no certainty of him being here tonight. 

The dog is neither here or in his kennel. 

Sam don't know but what he will be at the picnic. 

Watch me so that you may do the work just like I do it. 

He said so in front of me. 

Leave loose of me. 

I don't know as I will be there. 

He or I are certain to be there. 

The agent says he only wishes to speak to you for a minute. 

They have the usual matinee this afternoon. 

Have the leaders secured a speaker for this evening ? 

The athlete died on account of having bursted a blood vessel. 

The children were so much effected by this pathetic tale that 
they broke out into weeping. 

How long did you say the Mississippi River was? 

This problem is not half as difficult as that. 

They sang when they were working. 

This is a different boy than that. 



THE EIGHTH GRADE 277 

General Topics for Composition 
430. 

The Story of Robin Hood The Causes of the Spanish- 

The White Plague American War 

Naaman the Leper Ichabod Crane 

The Flying Dutchman The Story of Israel Putnam 

Apples — Distribution and Uses Bells 

The House That Jack Built Almost an Accident 

Conservation of Resources An Hour in a Cathedral 

A Secretary Gives Notice of a The Story Told by a Tramp 

Meeting Some of the Wonders of Elec- 
The Prodigal Son tricity 

The Story of a Clock How I Spent an Hour in the 
Dispute Between a Horse and Museum 

a Cow How We Hunted for Spring 
The Difference Between the Flowers 

Telegraph and the Telephone Great Generals 

The Story of Damon and In a Cemetery 

Pythias An Amusing Spectacle 

High School Entrance Examinations 

431. The following list of questions, compiled mainly 
from high school entrance examinations, will perhaps be 
found serviceable to eighth grade teachers and pupils : 

1. Write half a page on either a or b : 

a. Compare any one holiday of the year with another, 
telling how each is observed, which you prefer, and why. 

6. Describe a character in American history so clearly 
that the examiner of this manuscript may recognize "the character 
from the description without your mentioning the name of the 
individual. 

2. Write half a page telling the substance of any good short 
story you may have read. The following suggestions are given : 

a. Any story from the Bible 

b. An incident from "Robinson Crusoe " 

c. An incident from one of Louisa Alcott's books 
<l. An incident from Longfellow's "Evangeline " 



278 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

3. Using not more than a page and not less than half a page, 
write any one of the four letters described below : 

a. In England, boys play a game called "cricket," while 
in the United States they play "baseball." Suppose you have a 
cousin living in England ; write a letter to him describing a game 
of baseball so clearly that he may understand how it is played. 

b. Suppose you have a cousin living in California; you 
have learned that she has never witnessed a spelling match. Write 
her fully about one, so that she may comprehend how it is con- 
ducted. 

c. Write to a friend who used to live in your town but 
who now lives in Georgia, telling about a recent visit to one of 
your parks. 

d. Write to a friend who lives in Cleveland, telling how 
you spent last Saturday. 

4. Such expressions as the following are found each year in 
the compositions of eighth grade pupils. If you think any or 
all of them can be improved, show how it should be done. 

a. When food was given to the man he ate like he was 
starved. 

b. John at once answered the note from his friend, urging 
him to come and see him. 

c. After eating a hearty breakfast, the balloon was in- 
flated and sent up. 

d. We were sorry for the child, because she looked kind 
of neglected. 

e. The man was arrested, since the police suspicioned him 
of having done the stealing. 

f. One of my early school friends moved to Phila. last 
Apr. He wrote me about his new home, telling me the name of 
the st. on which he lived, and the no. of the house. He says the 
view from the setting room is finer than any he ever saw. He is 
much heavier than when he lived in Colo., his weight now being 
110 lbs. 

5. From each of the appended sentences select the adverbial 
clause. Rewrite each sentence, substituting a phrase for the clause. 

a. After the storm had passed, the crowd dispersed, one 
by one. 



THE EIGHTH GRADE 279 

b. I shall write to you very soon, telling you what occurred 
when the ship sailed. 

c. Brutus smote Caesar that Rome might be free. 

d. The bell is ringing because there is a fire. 

e. The President was silent when he heard the story of 
the disaster. 

6. Write sentences to illustrate the meaning of each of these 
words : 

a. Common; necessary; frigid; neglect (noun); request 
(verb). 

b. Write the same five words in column form, and beside 
each word write one of its synonyms. 

7. What contracted form is sometimes used instead of each of 
the following: shall not, does not, what is, I have, we are, it isf 
In what kind of writing are they permissible? 

8. Write two illustrations of the common uses of the apos- 
trophe. 

9. Write directions by which I may go from your home to one 
of the parks in the city. 

10. On the upper part of a page rule an envelope (six and 
one-half by three and one-half inches) ; address the same to your 
teacher. Using the remainder of the page, write a letter to him 
or her, telling how you spent last Saturday. 

11. Write an imagined conversation between two young people 
about a Memorial Day observance or a Fourth of July celebration. 
They are to tell each other about the patriotic or national songs 
they heard; and each one is to name at least two of the songs 
he or she likes best. Use not less than half a page, and not more 
than a page. 

12. I remember, I remember, 

The house where I was born; 
The little window where the sun 

Came peeping in at morn. 



280 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

I remember, I remember, 

The roses red and white, 
The violets and the lily-cups — 

Those flowers made of light. 

I remember, I remember 

Where I was used to swing, 
And thought the air must rush as fresh 

To swallows on the wing. 

I remember, I remember, 

The fir-trees dark and high ; 
I used to think their slender tops 

Were close against the sky. 

Select and copy such lines from the above as suggest pic 
tures to you. Briefly describe these pictures. 

13. Write not less than half a page and not more than a page 
on a, b, or c, describing — 

a. Something similar to the foregoing poem in your own 
childhood. 

b. An event so striking that you can easily recall it. 

c. Some place where you used to frolic when a child; the 
games you played; the companions you had in those games. 

14. Write to one of your relatives a telegram of not more 
than ten words, stating the circumstances given below and 
asking for money to carry out your desire. 

a. You are sick in Harrisburg. 

b. You wish to get home. 

c. You have no money. 

15. Write a letter of ten or twelve lines telling the above 
circumstances in detail. 

16. Write sentences to illustrate each of the following 
accurately used: Besides; either; one anoth i . 

17. Write the appended words in a column; opposite each 
of these write an antonym; and opposite each of these write a 



THE EIGHTH GRADE 281 

synonym: — old, scarce, excited, build, laugh, good, famous, idle- 
ness, truth. 

18. Change each sentence in this group to a simple sentence, 
being careful not to modify the meaning: 

a. When school commenced, Henry was in his seat. 

b. How he escaped is still a mystery. 

c. These rivers, which run in the same direction, are all 
navigable. 

19. In song, the American flag is frequently named in 
other terms. Give at least three names of this class, and tell 
in two or three lines the significance of each name. 

20. Write an essay of not less than three-quarters of a 
page, and not more than a page, on one of the subjects sug- 
gested in a, b, or c. 

a. An Expedition for Fishing 
An Expedition for Hunting 
An Expedition for Camping 
An Expedition for Boating 

b. What I Saw in a Parade 
What I Saw at a Ball Game 
What I Saw at a Circus 

What I Saw at an Amusement Park 
What I Saw at a Zoological Garden 

c. A Dream 
An Heirloom 
A Homestead 

21. Write a short essay about the room in which you daily 
study. 

22. Complete each of these groups of words by a compari- 
son that will make the resulting sentence a clear thought : 

a. The earth is shaped like a 

b. Do the problem as 

c. A panther looks like 

d. The little child is like 

e. The boy is not so intelligent as 



282 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

23. Write a sentence to illustrate each of the rules which 
are here given : 

a. Set off by a comma, or by commas, every word or 
expression naming a person addressed. 

b. Place a comma after each word of a series except 
the last. 

c. Set off a brief quotation from the rest of the sentence 
by a comma or by commas. 

d. When the appositive expression follows a word, it is 
generally set off by commas. 

24. Write an answer to the following advertisement, first 
ruling for an envelope, three by six inches, and addressing 
the same: 

WANTED — Boys and girls to fold advertisements, to 
inclose in envelopes, and to address the same. 

Send your letter to Horace K. Fry, who is secretary of Crane 
& Co., manufacturers of engines, and whose office is at 412 
Olmstead St., Kansas City, Missouri. 

25. Write fully about a visit which you may have made to 
any of the following places: 

a. A mill 

b. A factory 

c. A park. 

d. An art gallery 

e. A printing office 

26. Name the poets from whose writings you have studied 
during this school year, and state the selections studied. 

27. Prom what speech is this quotation taken? Under 
what circumstances and by whom was the speech made? 

"The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say 
here, but it can never forget what they did here." 

Explain fully what is meant by "what they did here." Tell 
clearly what the whole sentence means. In which words of 
the speech is reference made to the Declaration of Indepen- 
dence? 



THE EIGHTH GRADE 283 

28. Mention any speech you know which has become widely 
celebrated, and state the central thought contained in it. 

29. Write a letter to your aunt or your uncle in another 
state, giving an account of what is referred to in a, b, c, d, or e. 

a. A school entertainment 

b. A school picnic 

c. A description of a gymnasium 

d. A description of an athletic field 

e. An evening entertainment (not school) 

30. A friend of yours has won the silver cup in a golf 
tournament. Write a telegram of congratulation. 

31. Write a composition of a page on one of these topics: 

a. How to sweep and dust a room 

b. How to take care of a bicycle 

c. A description of an ideal room for yourself 

32. Show by sentences and by explanation the discrimina- 
tion which should be made in the use of these words: lend, loan; 
may, can; in, into; on, off; don't, doesn't. 

33. Rewrite and punctuate the following sentence so as to 
give a different meaning: 

a. The witness said the prisoner was a well-known thief. 

b. John the gardener will attend to this. 

c. The boy said the man was trying to stand on his head. 

d. No fishing is permitted here. 

e. Why do you think I should go? 

34. Write a half-page letter on a or b : 

a. To your teacher, Mr. Charles R. North, telling why 
you must be absent from your school for a month, and how you 
propose to make up your studies on your return. 

b. To an imaginary friend in Boston, telling what you 
saw during a walk in the woods. 

35. Write a word picture suggested by any one of these 
titles : 



284 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

a. The Letter Carrier 

b. The Trolley Car Conductor 

c. The Tramp 

d. Our Family Doctor 

e. Our Clergyman 

36. Write a one-page essay on one of the following : 

a. Saturday pleasures 

b. A story of a race : a foot-race ; a race on skates ; a 
bicycle race 

c. A story of an intellectual contest: a debate; a spelling 
match 

d. A street car incident 

e. A stroll in the woods in the time of spring flowers 

37. "Write any four lines of Lowell's poem, "Longing," or 
tell the central thought of the poem. 

38. Expand into complex sentences: 

A word once spoken can never be recalled. 

I know John to be well qualified for his work. 

The news of his arrival spread rapidly. 

By earnest study he reached the head of his class. 

My health permitting, I shall spend next summer 
traveling through the West. 

Having reached the end of our journey, we were glad 
to take advantage of a complete rest. 

39. Each of the following sentences is ambiguous; remedy 
this fault by making whatever changes you think necessary. 

Were you in the store before today ? 
He needs a teacher who cannot write. 
Struck with terror, our boat was launched at once. 
I went to the fathers of the boys who had heard what 
was going on. 

Mr. Wilson shot the bear as well as Mr. Grant. 

40. Supply the missing word in each sentence: 

He is tall as you. 

She is not tall as you. 

He is talented and ambitious. 



THE EIGHTH GRADE 285 

Bring with you things as you need. 

I do not know I shall go. 

sweep the floor or wash the dishes. 

Clean the vase I do. 

The Indian ran a deer. 

41. The following words are of very frequent occurrence. 
As they imply similarity of thought, there is the constant likeli- 
hood that the speaker or writer will use the wrong one in 
attempting to express the particular action of the mind indi- 
cated. Place each in a sentence. 

believe calculate expect guess 

imagine judge consider suppose 

42. Select a subject and write at least half a page on it: 

a. A description of a building with which you are familiar 

b. A mischievous boy or girl in school 

c. A thunder storm that frightened me 

d. A city street at eight in the morning and at eight in 
the evening 

e. A playground festival in one of the parks last year 

43. "The Building of the Ship," by Longfellow: 

a. Quote the lines in which the merchant gave the master 
the order for a vessel. 

b. Write the reason why the builder prepared a model. 

c. Whence were the materials for its construction brought? 

d. Where was it built? Why there? 

e. What lesson for you as students is to be found in these 
lines?— 

"Ah, if our souls but poise and swing 
Like the compass in its brazen ring, 
Ever loyal and ever true 
To the toil and the task we have to do, 
We shall sail securely, and safely reach 
The Fortunate Isles." 

44. "The American Flag," by J. Rodman Drake: 

a. Define or explain unfurled, standard, symbol, harbinger. 



286 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

b. Write the poetic expression by which each of the colors 
in the flag is described, and name the color in connection with the 
expression. 

c. Why does the author call the eagle ' ' Child of the Sun *? ' ' 

d. To what does he refer when he says, "And all thy hues 
were born in heaven" 1 ? 

e. Quote the last four lines of the poem. 

45. Write the first stanza of "The Star Spangled Banner." 
Explain under what circumstances the poem was written. 

46. On the upper fourth of a page, rule an envelope three 
and a half by six and a half inches. Address it to a friend or 
a relative living in another part of the country. On the re- 
mainder of the sheet write a letter, telling him or her that you 
are now on examination for admission to the high school; how 
much you have studied in preparation for the examination; 
why you wish to pass it successfully; and why you have written 
to him or her about it. Relate how you expect to spend the 
coming vacation. 

47. Write not less than a page on one of the subjects suggested 
in a or b, or on the outline marked c. 

a. A Hay Ride 
A Boat Ride 

A Horseback Ride 
A Bicvcle Ride 
A Sled Ride 
A Trolley Car Ride 

b. How I Learned to Skate 
How I Learned to Swim 
How I Learned to Row 

How I Learned to Ride a Bicycle 
c. Alone in the house — how I felt when the others had 
gone — what I did first — the sounds I heard, and my thoughts about 
them — what the dog did on hearing these sounds — how I acted — 
the solution of the mystery — the return of the family. 

48. Use in sentences: like (verb); oh; don't; affect; loan 
(noun); either; beside; almost; fix; both. 



THE EIGHTH GRADE 287 

49. "The Great Stone Face," by Hawthorne. 

a. What, near the beginning of the story, arouses the 
reader's interest and curiosity 1 ? 

b. Name in order the different men who are compared 
with the face, and tell what sort of greatness is represented by 
each. Which was most like Ernest 1 ? Why was Ernest greater 
than he? 

c. What caused Ernest to grow to look like the face? 

50. Barefooted boys scud up the street, 

Or scurry under the sheltering sheds; 
And schoolgirl faces, pale and sweet, 
Gleam from shawls about their heads. 

Doors bang; and mother voices call 
From alien homes ; and rusty gates 

Are slammed ; and high above it all, 
The thunder grim reverberates. 

And then, abrupt, — the rain ! the rain ! 

The earth lies gasping ; and the eyes 
Behind the streaming window pane 

Smile at the trouble of the skies. 

Tell clearly what you think is the meaning of the italicized 
words in the stanzas above. 

What sounds are mentioned in the second stanza, and what 
do they suggest? Which lines especially show that the poem 
is very properly named "The Sudden Shower"? 

Why does the earth lie gasping? What is "the trouble of 
the skies"? 

51. Choose the right word: 

The day has been (fearfully, terribly, unusually) hot. 

The lady donned a (pretty, lovely, handsome) wrap. 

My mother, who has been very ill. is now (some, some- 
what, much) better. 

The old man's long beard looked (odd. oddly). 

We know in part and we (prophecy, prophesy) in part. 
—Bible 



288 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

He is a man of (great, grate) (genus, genius). 

The athlete won a gold (medal, meddle). 

The (pillars, pillows) of the porch are covered with 
vines. 

I can sew (easier, more easily) than I can write. 

The boy was so (dumb, stupid, dull) that he could not 
understand the problem. 

The sailor had many (odd, strange, funny) stories to tell. 




CHAPTER IX 

MISCELLANEOUS 
Tests by Grades 

Second Grade 

432. 1. Can you what I say*? If you cannot, then 

stand . 

2. Where John? Where the boys'? 

Use saw or seen: "I Jack yesterday, but I have 

him today. ' ' 

It is cold play ball today. 

I have dollars in my pocket. 

6. Write an asking sentence containing run. 

7. Write a telling sentence containing green. 

8. Punctuate : John can you see me 

9. Punctuate : Smell this rose Kate 

10. Make a sentence from the following words: little, John, 
boy, a, is. 

11. Mary wore a hair ribbon to school, but the wind 

it away at recess. 

12. John had buns, and he them all. 

13. Where Harry yesterday? Where you 

last night? 

14. From dictation: Where is Tom's hat? 

15. Punctuate : The dog soiled the babys dress 

16. Punctuate : Mary Samuel and Jack were late this morning 

17. Use jump in an asking sentence. 

18. Use seen in a telling sentence. 

19. Write three sentences about your house. Use the word 
house but once. 

20. Draw a picture of an apple, and write three sentences 
about the apple. 

289 



290 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Third Grade 

1. Copy and punctuate: 

Johns book is on the stand 
Is Johns book on the stand 

2. Write an interrogative sentence containing John. 
Write an imperative sentence containing John. 
Write a declarative sentence containing John. 

3. Use no and know in sentences. 

4. Use hear and here in sentences. 

5. Use saw; or seen in the blanks : 

Have you my book? 

Yes, I it this morning. 

6. Use by or buy: 

I stood the door. 

I wish to some candy. 

7. Use sweet and round in sentences. 

8. Write three sentences about snow, using the word snow 
but once. 

9. Write four sentences about candy. 

10. My Mamma. What is your mamma's first name? What 
does she do for you in the morning 1 ? At noon? In the evening? 
What two other things does she do? Why do you love her? 

11. Who is there? It is , mamma. 

Was it John who stood first in his class? No, it was 

not . 

Was it Mary ? No, it was not . 

Were at the circus? 

12. From dictation : 

Where is Sam's hat? 

John, have you seen Tom's slate? 

Run for the doctor, Henry. 

13. Use here, hear, no, know, their, there : 

the birds sing. Mary is not this morning. 

Do you where I can find Jack? , I do not. 

The children have learned lessons. Stand 

with John. 

14. Write a declarative sentence containing nest. 
Write an imperative sentence containing nest. 
Write an interrogative sentence containing nest. 



TESTS BY GRADES 291 

15. Change the followng sentences so that each will contain a 
contraction : 

I do not care to play just now. 
I am going with you in a minute. 
Is not that a lovely rose? 

16. Punctuate : Mary Samuel and Willis have gone to school 

17. Write three sentences about your brother or sister, using 
the word brother or sister but once. 

18. Write three questions about a rose. 

19. Write four sentences about your papa, being careful to use 
the word papa but once. 

20. Halloween : How often does Halloween come"? What do 
people do then ? What did you do last Halloween ? What games 
did you play? Did you enjoy yourself? Were you sleepy next 
day? 

21. Write a declarative, an interrogative, and an imperative 
sentence, each containing the word Mary. 

22. From dictation : 

Mary, Sam, and Harry use the same kinds of books 
in school. 

Where is my pencil, Amelia? 
Jack has lost the baby's rattle. 

23. Fill the blanks with the proper word: 

Who is there? . 

Is that you, mamma ? No, it is not . 

It is who are going. 

It is who is going. 

It is who am going. 

Was it Mary ? No, it was not . 

24. Fill blanks with seen or saw; ate or eaten; did or done; 
broke or broken. 

Have you your dinner ? 

She has all I told her to do. 

I it a month ago, but I have not it lately. 

Tell me when she it. 

The tree was by the wind. 

25. Write four sentences about a picture in your room. 

26. Write four sentences about a flv. 



292 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

27. My Playmate: What is his name? Where does he live 1 ? 
When do you see him? What do you play? Where do you go 
with him ? Why do you like him ? How does he show that he likes 
you? Do you think he is the kind of boy you should have for a 
friend? 

28. Copy, and fill the blanks: 

Good , Mr. Brown. I wish to a chicken 

today. you any ? 

No, this one is large. I want a one. 

Yes, will do. How is it ? 

Chickens are very this year. is a dollar. 

That is the right . Good . 

29. Write the story of "The Ant and the Grasshopper." 

Fourth Grade 

1. Shorten the following sentences by using contractions: 

John does not know me. I have forgotten your 
name. 

Will you not share your cake with your sister? 
Are you not able to carry the satchel? 

2. Fill the blanks with I, he, she, her, him, they, or them : 

Is it or who is singing ? 

It is who has my book. 

Did you think it was ? 

It was who were crowding the stairway. 

3. The names of which months are usually abbreviated? 
Write their abbreviations. 

4. Suppose that you are spending your vacation away from 
home. Write a letter to your mother, telling her about the pleas- 
ure you are having. 

5. Fill the blanks with come or came; gone or went; stole 
or stolen. 

A thief had a man's watch. The officer after the 

thief had . He would have caught him if he had a 

little sooner. 

6. Punctuate the following sentences: 

Have you found the ring that you lost Mary asked 
her playmate 

Mary replied no Lena but I hope I shall soon 



TESTS BY GRADES 293 

7. Draw a picture of this pupil (brought from another 
room and seated within view of the children), and write five 
sentences about him. 

8. Tell a story about a squirrel or a rabbit, or about a pet 
cat or a pet dog. 

9. Use is or are in the blanks : 

Of what bird's nests made? 

Only one of the girls allowed to go. 

Maud's mother very ill? 

the gloves too small for you ? 

Where John and he going? 

10. Use hear, here, there, their, were, where, in sentences. 

11. Write in a sentence the names of four of your friends.' 

12. Use lady and ladies in sentences showing ownership. 

13. Draw a picture of an ink bottle, and write answers to 
these questions: What is its shape? How nearly full is it? 
What is the color of the ink? What other kinds of ink have 
you seen? Which color would you rather use? Why is it 
better to write with a pen than with a pencil? 

14. Insert he or him; she or her; I or me. 

and are to carry the bucket of water. 

Is taller than ? Was it who said yes? 

15. Suppose your uncle has sent you a birthday present. 
Write a letter thanking him for it. Draw the outline of an 
envelope six and one-half by three and one-half inches, address 
it, and show the position and size of the stamp. 

16. Write a sentence containing a quotation at the beginning ; 
write one containing a quotation at the end. 

17. For what word does each of these abbreviations stand: 
a.m., Co., ave., qt., min.? 

18. Choose the proper word to fill the blanks : 

Our gate was (broken, broke) by the storm. 

I have (tore, torn) my dress. 

Have you (written, wrote) the last word in spelling? 

She has (come, came) to say good-by. 

19. Write a storv about a pleasant trip or visit vou have 
had. 

20. An Article I Made, and How I Made It 



294 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Fifth Grade 

1. Write a paragraph of five or six sentences telling why 
you should come to school. 

2. Fill the blanks with the proper form of sit or set, lie or 
lay, and come: 

The boys who are on the bench have there 

for an hour. 

John's coat was on the couch where he 

it when he had taken it off. 

My cousin has to visit us. 

3. Write a composition about wheat; or imagine that you 
are a grain of wheat and tell the story of your experiences. 

4. Insert the proper form of pronoun : 

■ and will visit soon. 

would not speak to either ■ or . 

Who did it ? . Are you stronger than ? 

5. Write a letter to a friend, inviting him or her to help 
you celebrate your birthday. Make a diagram of an envelope, 
six and one-half by three and one-half inches, address it, and 
indicate the position and size of the stamp. 

6. Write sentences to show the correct use of there, their, 
leave, let, where, guess. 

7. Write a statement beginning with there was; a statement 
beginning with there were; a question beginning with is there; 
a question beginning with was there; a statement beginning with 
there are. 

S. We are going to have a vacation, and we are happy. 
Express this thought in one or two other ways. 

9. Write sentences containing the singular and plural pos- 
sessives of boy, man, child. 

10. What are the abbreviations for colonel, captain, avenue, 
afternoon, before noon? What are the contractions for did not, 
cannot, I have, it was, they are? 

11. Write a story imagining your experiences as a lump of 
coal; or write a composition about coal. 

12. Fill the blanks with the contraction for do not or does not : 

John's suit fit very well, and he like to 

wear it. 

Why — the men carry the baskets ? 



TESTS BY GRADES 295 

the sun dazzle your eyes ? 

Ice last long in warm weather. 

13. Write a composition of not fewer than fifteen lines on 
''What We Say and Do at the Dinner Table." 

14. Write a letter to your cousin, telling how you spent 
Halloween. Make a diagram of an envelope of the usual size, 
address it, and indicate the size and position of the stamp. 

15. Supply the proper form of the verb : 

John and he at the game yesterday? 

Mary, where you when I called? 

You called three times. 

the children going to the park today? 

There three twos in sis. 

16. Tell how you made a relief map of North or South America. 

17. Insert the proper form of pronoun: 

The teacher thought it was , but both and 

— ' — told her that it was not. 

The apple was divided between and . 

18. Use each of the following in a sentence to show possession : 
wife, lady, babies, children, judge. 

19. Koger had done very little work, and his teacher was greatly 
disappointed. (Express in two other ways.) 

20. Use the proper form of lie, lay, sit, set, in the following : 

on the grass was a tired-out tramp. 

He had there to rest after a long walk in the 

hot sun. 

by the fire, grandma watched me as I the 

vases on the mantel. 

Grandma by the fire until she fell asleep. 

Sixth Grade 

1. Draw the diagram of an envelope six and one-half by three 
and one-half inches, indicate the position and size of the stamp, 
and place thereon the following: 

Mr. Charles Freeman, 2S52 Pacific Avenue, Chicago, 
Illinois. 

2. Use the proper forms of sit, lie, la>i, in the following 
sentences : 



296 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

Grandfather has in the same chair and in 

the same bed for thirty years. 

Will you the books on the stand? 

I have them there, mamma. 

I cannot easy upon such a bed. 

3. Describe in about ten lines a picture that hangs in your 
room. 

4. The story of a hat, told in the first person. 

5. Write a letter to your friend William or Mary Hastings, 
giving directions for reaching your house from Union Station. 

6. Use love, like, leave, let, in sentences. 

7. Write a business letter to Armour & Co., Chicago, Illinois, 
asking them to send you a copy of their art calendar, and inclos- 
ing for the same a coupon taken from a jar of their beef extract. 

8. Describe in about ten lines one of your favorite games. 

9. Express the meaning of each of these sentences in a differ- 
ent manner : 

After Charles had bought the hat, he went home on 
the cars. 

Having broken her watch, Sarah took it to the jeweler. 

10. What I saw on Halloween. 

11. Describe and illustrate two ways of using the apostrophe. 

12. Write a letter to a friend in Havana, Cuba, describing 
certain things with which you are perfectly familiar, but which 
you feel would be very strange experiences for him. 

13. Write a letter to Ditson & Co., New York, stating that you 
are inclosing a three-dollar money order for a copy of their 
' * Dictionary of Music." 

14. Write an advertisement beginning with the word Wanted. 

15. What pictures do you see as you read the following 
stanza ? 

When the summer fields are mown, 
When the birds are fledged and flown, 

And the dry leaves strew the path ; 
With the falling of the snow, 
With the cawing of the crow, 
Once again the fields we mow 

And gather in the aftermath. 



TESTS BY GRADES 297 

Seventh Grade 

1. Express the following thought in two other forms : 

Joseph walked down the street and met his uncle. 

2. Write a conversation with a friend or relative whom you 
have not seen for a long time. 

3. Make what changes are needed to improve the expression 
of the following : 

I haven't got my lessons done, and I can't get out to 
have a good time. 

I'll be glad when I get through school. 

We get black diamonds from Brazil, and we've got to 
pay high prices for them because they are so rare. 

4. Use the following words correctly in sentences: healthy, 
healthful, love, like, plenty, plentiful. 

5. Write a letter to a friend in Altoona, asking him or her to 
spend Thanksgiving Day with you. Draw the outline of an 
envelope of what you consider the proper size, and address it to 
the person to whom you have written. 

6. Give a synonym for each of these words: dangerous, 
purchase, simple. 

Give the opposite of strength, friend, wept. 

7. Use in the blanks proper forms of these verbs: sit, lie, 
lay, come, eat, break, set. 

The branch that was by the storm across 

the path. 

She has to see if the birds have the crumbs. 

If I too long in the morning, mother calls, "Are 

you going to there all day?" 

He told me where he had the book. 

She has unconscious since the accident happened. 

Selma the table every day. 

We had there but a minute before he arrived. 

8. Supply the proper form of pronoun : 

■ have such fun when and go swimming. 

If father permits . — — will go with ■ 

and to the ball game. 

Which of the following expressions is correct? Why? 
We boys are proud of our school. 
Us boys are proud of our school. 



298 LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 

9. Write a letter to The Book Supply Company, 231 West 
Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois, requesting them to send you a 
catalogue of their Christmas books. 

]0. Write a story of your imaginary experiences as a snow- 
flake. 

Eighth Grade 

1. Insert may or can: 

The greatest homage we pay to truth is to use it. 

We do more good by being good than in any 

other way. 

One not always be a hero, but one always 

be a man. 

Wealth seek us, but wisdom must be sought. 

We not do this, for mother has forbidden us. 

2. Write a letter to a friend in New York, on "A Pleasant 
Day in School. ' ' 

3. Make out a bill of four or five items that a dealer in furni- 
ture might send, supplying necessaiy names and dates. As clerk, 
receipt the bill. 

4. Write on any subject the following stanza may suggest 
to you: 

' ' Come with me to the summer woods ! 
Come every girl and boy ! 
All greenly wave the forest leaves, 
And the earth is full of joy." 

5. Imagine that you are Jack Frost, and tell your experiences. 

6. Use each of the following words in a sentence: expect, 
think, suppose. 

7. Write a letter of introduction for George Williams to 
L. D. Brown, asking permission for him to view the painting 
''Baby Stuart," which Mr. Brown owns. 

8. Place the following words in a column ; in a second and a 
third column, respectively, write an antonym and a synonym 
opposite each of these words: meet, broad, polite, calm (verb), 
loose (adjective). 

9. You have a pony that you wish to sell. Write an adver- 
tisement to be inserted in the "For Sale" column of a daily 
paper. 



POETICAL SELECTIONS, BY GRADES 299 

10. State three reasons why you think there should be no cor- 
poral punishment in the public schools. If possible, show how 
they can be made to prosper without it. 



Poetical Selections, by Grades 

433. The following selections include many that are in 
use in the public schools, and others that are suitable for 
such a purpose. Only the name of the author is appended. 



Selection 


Author 


Grade 


Autumn 


Stevenson 


1 


The Rain is Raining all Around 


Stevenson 


1 


In the Heart of a Seed 


Brown 


1 


Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star 


Taylor (Jane) 


1 


Good-night and Good-morning 


Milnes 


1 


The Cow 


Stevenson 


1 


Nest Eggs 


Stevenson 


1 


The Baby 


MacDonald 


1 


The Sun's Travels 


Stevenson 


1 


Suppose 


Cary (Phoebe) 


1 


What Does Little Birdie Say 


Tennyson 


1 


The Busy Bee 


Watts 


1 


The Dickey Bird 


Field 


1 


The Wind 


Stevenson 


1 


The Sunbeams 


Poulsson 


1 


The Land of Counterpane 


Stevenson 


1 


Dainty Little Maiden 


Tennyson 


1 


Daisies 


Sherman 


1 


The First Christmas 


Poulsson 


1 


How the Leaves Came Down 


Coolidge 


1 


The Swing 


Stevenson 


2 


He Didn't Think 


Cary (Phoebe) 


2 


Bed in Summer 


Stevenson 


2 


Obedience 


Cary (Phoebe) 


2 


Don't Give Up 


Cary (Phoebe) 


2 


The Naughty Little Robin 


Cary (Phcebe) 


2 


A Good Play 


Stevenson 


2 


The Robin's Nest 


Cooper (George' 


1 2 



300 



LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 



Selection 
All Things Beautiful 
The Bluebird 
A Good Boy 
Spring 

The Land of Story Books 
Only a Baby Small 
My Shadow 
Little White Lily 
Thanksgiving Day 
The Discontented Buttercup 
Seven Times One 
The Rock-a-by Lady 
Wynken, Blynken, and Nod 
Buttercups and Daisies 
The Snow Bird 

Hiawatha's Childhood (144-158) 
Two Little Roses 
Little Gustava 
The Golden-rod 
The Violet 
Speak Gently 
The Brown Thrush 
Sweet and Low 
March 

The Owl and the Pussy Cat 
Christmas Bells 
Leaves at Play 
September 

Lullaby of an Infant Child 
The Duel 

The Village Blacksmith 
Little Boy Blue 
A Visit from St. Nicholas 
The Spider and the Fly 
The Children's Hour 
Rain in Summer 
The Fountain 
He Prayeth Well 
The Old Oaken Bucket 



Author 



Grade 



Alexander (Mrs.) 2 

Miller (E. H.) 2 

Stevenson 2 

Thaxter 2 

Stevenson 2 

Barr 2 

Stevenson 2 

MacDonald 2 

Child 2 

Jewett 2 

Ingelow 2 

Field 2 

Field 2 

Howitt 2 

Sherman 2 

Longfellow 2 

Ballard 3 

Thaxter 3 

Sherman 3 

Taylor (Jane) 3 

Bates 3 

Thaxter 3 

Tennyson 3 

Bryant 3 

Lear 3 

Field 3 

Sherman 3 

Jackson 3 

Scott 3 

Field 3 

Longfellow 3 

Field 3 

Moore 3 

Howitt 3 

Longfellow 3 

Longfellow 4 

Lowell 4 

Coleridge 4 

Woodworth 4 



POETICAL SELECTIONS, BY GRADES 301 



Selection 


Author 


Grade 


The Child's World 


Rands 


4 


A Boy's Song 


Hogg 


4 


Jack Frost 


Gould 


4 


Casabianca 


Hemans 


4 


Robert of Lincoln 


Bryant 


4 


The Goat and the Swing 


Trowbridge 


4 


The Frost Spirit 


Whittier 


4 


The Barefoot Boy 


Whittier 


4 


The Wreck of the Hesperus 


Longfellow 


4 


America 


Smith 


4 


October 


Jackson 


4 


Woodman, Spare That Tree 


Morris 


4 


Nobody's Child 


Cary (Phoebe) 


4 


Our Heroes 


Carey 


4 


The Daffodils 


Wordsworth 


4 


Hiawatha's Childhood (complete) 


Longfellow 


4 


Vacation Song 


Sherman 


4 


The Cloud 


Shelley 


4 


The Story of the Wood 


Stanton 


4 


The New Year 


Tennyson 


4 


Red Riding Hood 


Whittier 


4 


Aladdin 


Lowell 


5 


Nobility 


Cary (Alice) 


5 


The Three Fishers 


Kingsley 


5 


Paul Revere 's Ride 


Longfellow 


5 


The Gladness of Nature 


Bryant 


5 


The Four Winds 


Sherman 


5 


The Crocus's Soliloquy 


Gould 


5 


A Day of Sunshine 


Longfellow 


5 


Psalm of Life 


Longfellow 


5 


Excelsior 


Longfellow 


5 


The Landing of the Pilgrims 


Hemans 


5 


The Day is Done 


Longfellow 


5 


Barbara Frietchie 


Whittier 


5 


The Battle of Lexington 


Holmes 


5 


The Night Has a Thousand Eyes 


Bourdillon 


5 


The Sandpiper 


Thaxter 


5 


The First Snowfall 


Lowell 


5 


Tubal Cain 


Mackay 


5 



302 



LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 



Selection 


Author 


Grade 


The Arrow and the Song 


Longfellow 


5 


The Planting of the Apple Tree 


Bryant 


5 


Stay, Stay at Home, My Heart 


Longfellow 


5 


The Owl Critic 


Fields 


5 


How Sleep the Brave 


Collins 


5 


Santa Filomena 


Longfellow 


5 


The Rainy Day 


Longfellow 


5 


The Reaper and the Flowers 


Longfellow 


5 


The Last Leaf 


Holmes 


6 


Old Ironsides 


Holmes 


6 


The Bugle Song 


Tennyson 


6 


Evening 


Bryant 


6 


The Charge of the Light Brigade 


Tennyson 


6 


The Blue and the Gray 


Finch 


6 


The Death of the Flowers 


Bryant 


6 


The Heritage 


Lowell 


6 


Pictures of Memory 


Gary (Alice) 


6 


The Ballad of Baby Bell 


Aldrich 


6 


The Bells 


Poe 


6 


Adversity 


Shakespeare 


6 


Marco Bozzaris 


Halleek 


6 


Captain! My Captain 


Whitman 





The Battle of Waterloo 


Byron 


6 


Daybreak 


Longfellow 


6 


Music in Camp 


Thompson 


6 


To a Water-fowl 


Bryant 


6 


Hohenlinden 


Campbell 


6 


Oft in the Stilly Night 


Moore 


6 


A Song of the Camp 


Taylor (Bayard) 


6 


Crossing the Bar 


Tennyson 


7 


Gradatim 


Holland 


7 


Driving Home the Cows 


Putnam 


7 


When the Frost Is on the Punkin 


Riley 


7 


The Legend Beautiful 


Longfellow 


7 


The Raven 


Poe 


7 


Maidenhood 


Longfellow 


7 


The Old Clock on the Stairs 


Longfellow 


7 


All the World's a Stage 


Shakespeare 


7 


Skipper Ben 


Larcom 


7 



POETICAL SELECTIONS, BY GRADES 303 



Selection 


Author 


Grade 


Sheridan's Ride 


Read 


7 


The Ineheape Rock 


Southey 


7 


The Skeleton in Armor 


Longfellow 


7 


Nauhaught the Deacon 


Whittier 


7 


In School-days 


Whittier 


7 


Maud Muller 


Whittier 


7 


The May Queen 


Tennyson 


7 


Lead, Kindly Light 


Newman 


S 


A Visit from the Sea 


Stevenson 


8 


My Life Is Like the Summer Rose 


Wilde 


8 


Waiting 


Burroughs 


8 


The Quality of Mercy 


Shakespeare 


8 


Way to Heaven 


Holland 


8 


The Chambered Nautilus 


Holmes 


8 


What Is So Rare as a Day in June 


Lowell 


8 


The Song of the Brook 


Tennyson 


8 


Address to the Ocean 


Byron 


8 


To a Skylark 


Shelley 


8 


A Forest Hymn 


Bryant 


8 


Recessional 


Kipling 


8 


Soldier, Rest 


Scott 


8 


The Builders 


Longfellow 


8 


The Building of the Ship 


Longfellow 


8 


Snow-Bound 


Whittier 


s 


Enoch Arden 


Tennyson 


8 


The Deserted Village 


Goldsmith 


8 


Longing 


• Lowell 


8 


The Huskers 


Whittier 


8 


The Corn Song 


Whittier 


8 


The Star Spangled Banner 


Key 


8 


The American Flag 


Drake 


8 


The Spacious Firmament 


Addison 


8 


To a Mountain Daisy 


Burns 


8 


The Vision of Sir Launfal 


Lowell 


8 


The Lady of Shalott 


Tennyson 


8 


Mahmood the Image Breaker 


Lowell 


8 


Ring Out, Wild Bells 


Tennyson 


8 


To a Mouse 


Burns 


8 


The Boys 


Holmes 


8 



304 



LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 



The following series of books are 
ers who are desirous of obtaining 
use in the schoolroom. These books 
the publishers of this volume. 

Literature in the Common Schools 
Wide Awake Series (four volumes) 
Heart of Oak Books (seven volumes) 
Lights to Literature (eight volumes) 
Poems by Grades (two volumes) 
Open Sesame (three volumes) 
Choice Literature (six volumes) 
Approved Selections for Reading and 
Memorizing (eight volumes) 



recommended to teach - 
standard selections for 
can be ordered through 

Cox 

Murray 
Norton 
Holton 

Harris and Gilbert 
Bellamy and Goodwin 
Williams 

Hinds, Noble and 
Eldredge 



INDEX 



[Beferences are to Sections] 



Abbreviations, 62, 63, 191, 285 
Acceptance, 414 
Additional occasions, 74 
Address, 57, 108 
Addresses, 194 
Adjectives, 26, 27, 274 
Adjective clause, 228 
Adverbs, 273 
Advertisements, 296, 317, 392, 

402, 403 
Ambiguity, 386 
Apostrophe, 95 
Are, 41 

Bad English, 23, 429 
Blackboard composition and 

correction, 35, 65, 66, 109, 

131, 239, 355 
Burst, 299 

Combination, 202, 282, 346, 
409, 410 

Come, came, 14, 43, 90 

Comma, 161 

Comparison, 136, 186 

Composition, discussion and 
topics, 2, 3, 36, 55, 64, 65, 70, 
76, 97, 109, 110, 114, 116, 
131, 132, 133, 140, 141, 157, 
158, 164, 170, 171, 172, 178. 
179, ISO, 181. 1S2, 107, 198, 
199, 200, 210, 224, 225. 226, 



230, 231, 232, 233, 2?4, 235, 
240, 246, 253, 254, 255, 256, 
257, 258, 259, 260, 263, 264, 
266, 267, 268, 269, 270, 271, 
272, 278, 294, 308, 309, 310, 
320, 327, 328, 329, 330, 332, 
333, 334, 335, 336, 340, 341, 
349, 353, 356, 358, 383, 394, 
401, 425, 426, 430 

Contractions, 75, 92, 265 

Conversations, 28, 31, 52, 60, 
225, 295 

Correct forms, 14, 21 

Correcting compositions, 380, 
381 

Correcting letters, 251 

Criticism, 290, 292 

Dates, 128 
Days of week, 61 
Describing actions, 24, 166 
Describing objects, 53 
Describing a person, 167 
Descriptions, 208, 3S7 
Diary, 115, 204, 218, 348 
Dictation, 107, 108, 148 
Did, done, 88 
Distinguishing words, — 

Angry, mad, 323 

Arrange, repair, fix, 222 

At, to,^ 241 

Audience, spectators, 421 



305 



306 



INDEX 



Beside, besides, 424 
Blue, blew, 68 
Bring, carry, fetch, 305 
Buy, by, 86 
Center, middle, 407 
Character, reputation, 424 
Complement, compliment, 407 
Contemptible, contemptuous, 

421 
Convict, convince, 421 
Couple, pair, 424 
Custom, habit, 347 
Each other, one another, 303 
Emigrant, immigrant, 421 
Fewer, less, 301 
Flee, fly, flow, 347 
Guess, think, 304 
Healthy, healthful, 389 
Here, hear, 44 
Honesty, honor, 424 
House, home, 424 
Idle, lazy, 379 
In, into, 245 

Intelligent, intelligible, 421 
Invent, discover, 379 
Learn, teach, 160 
Leave, let, 324 
Like, love, 121 
Lot, many, number, 347 
May, can, might, could, 156 
Necessity, ability, 359 
New, knew, 45 
O, oh, 244 

Plenty, plentiful, 361 
Pride, vanity, 382 
Proud, vain, 382 
Receipt, recipe, 424 
Relative, relation, 347 
Rise, raise, 193 
Sent, cent, 87 



Sex, sects, 347 

Shall, will, 185, 247 

Site, situation, location, 378 

Statue, stature, statute, 407 

Stop, stay, 331 

Suit, suite, 347 

Their, there, 49 

Threw, through, 85 

To, two, too, 42 

Vocation, avocation, 421 

Write, right, 51 
Dramatization, 17, 52, 98, 205 
Draw, drew, drawn, 139 

Eat, ate, 153 

Envelope, 102 

Errors, 213 

Ethics of school life, 393 

Etiquette, 111, 338 

Examinations, high school, 431 

Exercises, 80, 108, 226, 377, 

420, 421 
Expansion, 283, 351, 427 

Festival occasions, 67 

Games, 32, 82. 168 
General information, 209 
Get, got, 195 
Great personages, 390 

Has, have, 47 

Heard, 14 

Historical stories, 337, 353 

Homonyms, 42, 44, 45, 49, 50, 

51, 68, 85, 86, 87, 91, 94, 

125, 221, 286 

Illustrative material, 104 
Imaginative composition, 356, 

425, 426 



INDEX 



307 



Incorrect expressions, 357 
Industrial topics, 374, 375 
Informal note, 416 
Interpretation of literature, 

411 
Invitations, 169, 413 
Is, are, 14 

"Jumble sentences," 84 

Knew, known, 124 

Language problems, 388 
Leave, let, 130, 183, 324 
Letters and letter writing, 71, 
99, 100, 101, 103, 175, 176, 
192, 194, 201, 277, 315, 316, 
325, 326, 364, 368, 369, 370, 
371, 372, 373, 412, 413, 414, 
415, 416, 422, 423 
Lie, lay, lain, 165 

Miscellaneous exercises, 248, 

284 
Months, 62 
Morals and manners, 30, 188, 

207, 216, 338 
Music, 59 

Nature study, 236 
"N" verbs, 220 
Newspaper reporting, 405 
Notes, 72, 73, 149, 150, 250 

Occupations, 56, 262 
Official addresses, 419 
Opposites, 313, 385 
Outlines for grade work, 1, 37, 
77, 143, 212, 279, 342, 395 



Paraphrasing, 428 

Paragraphing, 189 

Phrase, 83 

Pictures, 12, 22, 335 

Poems, study of, .79, 106, 133, 

174, 178, 187, 219, 223, 237, 

249, 300, 314, 345, 352, 360, 

366, 367 
Poetical selections, by grades, 

433 
Politeness, 29, 60, 111, 188, 207, 

338, 393 
Possessives, 126 
Prepositions, 138, 184, 261, 

306, 307, 321, 354, 398 
Pronouns, 20, 118, 151, 306, 307 
Punctuation, 58, 119, 146, 215, 

287, 363, 376, 406 

Qualities, 275 

Question method in composi- 
tion, 55 
Questions for pupils, 243 
Quotation marks, 120, 145 

Recasting sentences, 291, 400 

Receipts, 417 

Regrets, 415 

Reproduction, 15, 16, 60, 112. 

134, 159, 203, 238, 288, 350, 

408 
Review, 69, 91, 94, 142, 161, 

211, 276, 2S1, 362 

Salutation, 192 
Saw, seen, 14, 39, 40 
Selections, 16, 203 
Sentences, 13, IS. 19, 23. 54. 

58, 80. SI, 135, 202, 227. 291, 

2D3. 400 



308 



INDEX 



Series, 93, 173 

Shall, will, 185, 247 

Signature, 418 

Singulars and plurals, 33, 129, 

162, 322 
Sit, sat, 123 

Skeleton stories, 177, 217 

Special events, 113 

Stories, 52 

Story of the Northland, 105 

Style, 420 

Subject and predicate, 206 

Synonyms, 122, 147, 154, 155, 

163, 229, 242, 311, 312, 384 

Teach, taught, 117 
Technical terms, 80, 214 
Technical work, 25, 365 
Telegrams, 297, 391, 404 
Tests by grades, 142, 432 
This, that, 318 



Those, them, 319 

Variety of expression, 298, 344, 

397 
Verbs, 21, 127, 152, 153, 196, 

220 
Violations of good English, 23, 

213, 289, 357, 399, 429 
Virtues, 339 

Wait on, wait for, 184 
Wash day, 11 
Was, were, 46, 137 
Went, gone, 89 
Where, when, 34 
Which, 306 
Whom, 307 
Words from reader, 96 

You, 48 



LANGUAGE GAMES FOR ALL GRADES 

— — — — — — — By Alhambra G. Deming — _ 

Principal Washington School, Winona, Minn. 
With Introduction by J. N. Adee, Supt. of Schools,. Johnstown, Pa. 

Designed to establish the habit of correct speech and to increase 
the child's vocabulary. The book contains thirty language games, 
teaching the correct use of troublesome words and forms of expres- 
sion in a pleasant way, and which will serve to eliminate the common 
errors in grammar of -oral and written speech among pupils. In his 
introduction Superintendent Adee says: "The use of correct English 
is a habit. To get a habit thoroughly rooted in a child's life takes 
careful drill and constant repetition. Children like to repeat; they 
enjoy doing and saying things over and over again. There are only 
twenty or thirty grammatical errors that persistently occur, and 
if we can put the correct expression for these errors in the form 
of a game, we will have an excellent motive to get these correct 
forms frequently repeated and their use a fixed habit on the part 
of the pupils. This is the purpose of this little book, Language 
Games for All Grades." It is a volume that will be welcomed by all 
progressive teachers. 

90 pages. Cloth. Price, 40 cents 

CARDS TO ACCOMPANY LANGUAGE GAMES FOR ALL GRADES 

Fifty-three cards, size 4% x 6% inches, for pupils' use. 
Price, per set, 25 cents 

EASY THINGS TO DRAW 

By D. R. Augsburg 
Prepared particularly as an aid to teachers who lack training in 
drawing, or who may be in need of drawings made in the simplest 
possible way — often with but a few strokes of the crayon or pencil. 
Contains 203 drawings which may be easily transferred to the black- 
board to illustrate lessons on plants, animals, history, geography, 
etc. They will also furnish subjects for stories. Every principle of 
drawing is presented. 

77 large pages. Paper. Price, 30 cents 

BEST PRIMARY SONGS 

By Amos M. Kellogg 
A collection of nearly sixty songs.- suitable for primary and 
intermediate grades, and for ungraded schools. There are morning 
and welcome songs, nature songs, marching and motion pieces, social 
and ethical songs, farewell and closing sentiments, etc. The words 
have been carefully chosen and the music is attractive and simple. 
48 pages. Paper. Price, 15 cents; per dozen, $1.50 

BECKLEY-CARDY CO. Educational Publishers CHICAGO 



MORNING EXERCISES FOR ALL THE YEAR 

A DAY BOOK FOR TEACHERS 

By Joseph C. Sindelar 

Author of Nixie Bunny in Manners-Land, 

Nixie Bunny in Workaday-Land, etc. 

This is a new work — just published — and the only really complete 
and systematic book of opening exercises that has yet been issued. 
It contains over 300 exercises, arranged day by day, there being an 
exercise for each morning of the ten school months, beginning with 
the first day in September and ending with the last day in June. 
There is an appropriate literary quotation for each day — 303 in all, 
100 interesting stories, anecdotes and recreations, a goodly number 
of poems, many birthday exercises and those of the seasons, special 
day programs, related songs and readings, Bible references, etc. The 
exercises are in endless variety, emphasizing moral principles and 
teaching lessons of proper conduct, right thought, ideals of life, and 
the appreciation of nature, literature, science, and art. Each day 
has its own lesson and an abundance of the best material for use 
therewith. All special days and school occasions, also birthdays 
of noted men and women, are duly recorded and suitably com- 
memorated. The material is for all grades, and the teacher will 
find the book an invaluable aid in her work. 

252 pages. Cloth. Price, 60 cents 

THE BEST CHRISTMAS BOOK 

Edited by Joseph C. Sindelar 

There is nothing better or newer published in the way of Christ- 
mas entertainments. The material contained in this book is fresh 
and original, much of it having been written specially by Marie 
Irish, Harriette Wilbur, and Thos. B. Weaver. There is a wealth of 
new ideas, and a complete program for everyone. It is positively the 
''Best" book of Christmas entertainment exercises published. Ar- 
ranged according to grades. 

The following list of classified contents will show the variety and 
scope of the work. Contents: 82 recitations, 36 quotations, 4 mono- 
logues and readings, 10 dialogues, exercises and plays, 7 fancy drills 
and marches, 4 acrostics and motion songs, 3 tableaux, 4 pantomimes 
and pantomimed songs, 9 songs with music, 8 songs of new words 
to old tunes, 14 facts regarding Christmas and Christmas customs 
in other lands. 

Illustrated. 192 pages. Paper. Price, 30 cents 
BECKLEY-CARDY CO. Educational Publishers CHICAGO 



SUPPLEMENTARY READERS 

_ . — F0R ALL GRADES ■ 

BOW-WOW AND MEW-MEW 
By Georgiana M. Craik. Edited by Joseph C. Sindelar 

The story of a young dog and cat, and one of the few books for 
beginners in reading that may be classed as literature. The story, 
the style, and the moral are all good. 

32 illustrations in colors. 95 pages. Cloth. Price, 30 cents 

THE NIXIE BUNNY BOOKS 
By Joseph C. Sindelar 
Nixie Bunny in Manners-Land — A Rabbit Story of Good Manners 
Nixie Bunny in Workaday- Land — A Rabbit Story of the Occupations 
Nixie Bunny in Holiday-Land — A Rabbit Story of the Holidays 

The Nixie Bunny Books have been read by over 75,000 children 
in two years. They are unsurpassed in popularity by any children's 
books ever published. Adopted as supplementary readers in the 
second and third grades by hundreds of towns and cities all over 
the country, including Chicago, Pittsburgh, Rochester, Worcester 
(Mass.), etc. Se^cted by fourteen states for reading circle and 
school library purposes. They are interestingly written, attractively 
illustrated, pedagogically arranged, well graded, and teach enough of 
value to pay for the time spent in their reading. Each book has 144 
pages, with from 64 to 90 illustrations in colors. Cloth. Price, 
each, 40 cents.. 

THE PROGRESSIVE SCHOOL CLASSICS 

A new series of reading books, which offers the highest class of 
literature for all grades at very small cost. No other series at so low 
a price contains the valuable features of this series, namely: accurate 
and authentic texts, notes and numbered lines for reference, portraits, 
biographical sketches, illustrations, new type, good paper and bind- 
ing, and convenient size. 

Bow-Bow and Mew-Mew — Craik — Grades 1-2 — 95 pages (12 cents) 

Peter Rabbit and Other Tales — Grades 2-3 

The King of the Golden River — Ruskin — Grades 4-6 

Rip Van Winkle and the Author's Account of Himself — Irving — 

Grades 5-8 
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow — Irving — Grades 5-8 
Thanatopsis, Sella and Other Poems — Bryant — Grades 5-8 
The Courtship of Miles Standish — Longfellow — Grades 6-8 
The Pied Piper of Hamelin and Other Poems — Browning — Grades 6-8 
Evangeline — Longfellow — Grades 6-8 
The Great Stone Face — Hawthorne — Grades 6-S 
The Man Without a Country — Hale — Grades 6-8 
Snow-Bound and Other Poems — Whittier — Grades 6-S 
Enoch Arden — Tennyson — Grades 6-H. S. 

The "Vision of Sir Launfal and Other Poems — Lowell — Grades 6-H. S. 
The Rime of the Anoient Mariner — Coleridge — Grades 7-H. S. 
The Cotter's Saturday Night and Other Poems — Burns — Grades 7-H. S. 
The Deserted Village (Goldsmith) and Elegy — Gray — Grades 7-H. S. 
Price, per copy, 5 cents, postpaid, unless otherwise mentioned 
128-page illustrated Catalogue of Books mailed upon request 

BECKLEY-CARDY COMPANY Publishers CHICAGO 



BEST BOOKS AND HELPS FOR TEACHERS 

OF ALL GRADES 

Morning Exercises for All the Year. By Joseph C. Sindelar, author 
of. the "Nixie Bunny" books, etc. Contains over 300 exercises, 
arranged day by day, there being an exercise for each morning 
of the ten school months, beginning with the first day in Sep- 
tember and ending with the last day in June. 252 large pages. 
Cloth. Price, 60 cents. 

Language Games for All Grades. By Alhambra G. Deniing, Princi- 
pal Washington School, Winona, Minn. Designed to establish 
the habit of correct speech and to increase the child's vocabulary. 
90 pages. Cloth. Price (with 53 cards for pupils' use), 65 cents. 

Easy Things to Draw. By D. R. Augsburg. A teacher's handbook, 
with 203 simple drawings for reproducing on the blackboard. 
77 large pages. Paper. Price, 30 cents. 

Simplex Class Record. The most convenient, compact and practical 
teacher's class book published. Provides space for 432 names. 
76 pages, ruled in three colors. Size, 4^4x794 inches. Cloth. 
Price, 30 cents. 

Simplex Seat Plan. A simple card and pocket device for keeping a 
correct list of the pupils for easy reference. Size, 6x9 inches. 
Cloth. Price (with 100 cards), 35 cents. 

District-School Dialogues. By Marie Irish. A collection of twenty- 
five new, humorous dialogues for children of all ages. 160 pages. 
Paper. Price, 30 cents. 

The Best Christmas Book. By Joseph C. Sindelar. Dialogues, reci- 
tations, songs, drills, pantomimes, tableaux, etc., for Christmas 
entertainment. 192 pages. Paper. Price, 30 cents. 

Best Memory Gems. Selected and edited by Joseph C. Sindelar. Con- 
tains 400 of the choicest gems culled from the best in litera- 
ture, and indexed by authors, by first lines, and by sentiment. 
For primary, intermediate and grammar grades. 64 pages. 
Paper. Price, 15 cents. 

Best Primary Recitations. By Winifred A. Hoag. Over 200 original 
recitations for first and second grades. 88 pages. Paper. Price, 
15 cents. 

Best Primary Songs. By Amos M. Kellogg. Nearly sixty songs for 
primary and ungraded schools. 48 large pages. Paper. Price, 
15 cents. 

Merry Melodies. By S. C. Hanson. A book of school songs. Over 
one-half million copies already sold. 64 large pages. Paper. 
Price, 15 cents. 

128-page illustrated Catalogue of Books mailed upon request 
BECKLEY-CARDY COMPANY Publishers CHICAGO 



pi 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



003 232 027 2 * 



